Chapter 158
Zhao Ger didn't understand. "What's wrong?"
Zhou Ger looked around. A few people were scattered along the roadside fields, turning the soil to plant radishes for the winter. He lowered his voice and said, "Last time I was chatting with Aunt Wang, she accidentally let it slip. It seems that He Huihui has gotten heli from the Wu family's son."
[Héli (和离): a mutual, negotiated divorce agreement; Xiūshū (休书): a unilateral act where the husband divorced his wife by writing a letter of repudiation, often for reasons faulting her]
Zhao Ger was astonished. "Really?"
In these times, heli were rare.
After a separation, remarrying was difficult. It wasn't impossible, but a person who had lost their chastity was considered undesirable and could not find a good match. Most ended up marrying widowers, or lazy, disabled men—those with a limp or a missing hand—who could not find a wife otherwise.
Unless one's own conditions were very good, came from a very privileged background. But among village families, without wealth or social standing, who had very good conditions? What counted as “good” here was merely having meat in the bowl once in a while.
Moreover, a separated woman or ger returning home would face gossip and pointing fingers. Some families even saw them as a disgrace and refused to take them in.
That was why many women and gers preferred to endure scolding or beatings in their husband’s home rather than seek a separation.
"It should be true," Zhou Ger said. "Even though Aunt Wang and Aunt He don't get along well, she wouldn't spread false rumors about something like this. She kept asking about your husband earlier. I was afraid she might have bad intentions. It's always better to be cautious."
What kind of person He Huihui was, Zhao Ger didn't know clearly, but Zhou Ger knew very well.
Even before her marriage, she had a restless nature. Walking as if she had no bones, her hips swaying with each step, her flirtatiousness overflowing.
She used her beauty to captivate the young men of the village, charming them so thoroughly they were utterly besotted. Every market day, they would compete to buy her gifts, eagerly presenting them to her.
Her skill in flirting with men was profound. Her behavior wasn't improper, but her words gave people a feeling of being both close and distant, as if she had a fondness for them.
Moreover, He Huihui never explicitly asked them for anything, she only said she liked this or that item.
He Huihui never explicitly demanded gifts; the men offered them of their own accord. Since she hadn't coerced them, and given the men's natural fondness for a pretty face, even those in the village who looked down on her behavior couldn't say anything.
This situation reminded Zhao Ger of Lianniang.
Fang Zichen always claimed that Zhao Ger was the one who attracted trouble like a rotten egg. But listening to Zhou Ger's story, it seemed clear that it was actually his husband who was the real rotten egg. He pursed his lips. "I know."
"Zhao Ger," someone called out from ahead just after he finished speaking. It was Wang Damei.
"You have guests at your house."
When the carriage entered the village, everyone saw it. The horse was tall with shiny reddish fur. Except for the men who often went to town for work, most people had rarely seen a horse. When it entered the village, children ran after it. However, afraid of offending the noble guest, no one crowded around.
When Zhao Ger arrived home, Yang Mingyi was watching Guaizai playing with his bicycle. Fang Zichen was standing at the kitchen door, keeping his distance from Old Master Wu.
"Brother Zhao." Yang Mingyi called out first.
Zhao Ger recognized Yang Mingyi, but he didn't know Old Master Wu. Yang Mingyi introduced him. Old Master Wu looked at Zhao Ger, seeing his almond-shaped eyes, round and alert, his gaze simple and direct. He thought to himself: Living with someone like Fang Zichen, who knows if this young ger is fortunate or unfortunate? But being able to live with him for over half a year without leaving, it seems he has a good mindset.
With guests visiting, Zhao Ger took out the roast duck he had made just yesterday. Zhao Ger had heard Fang Zichen mention Old Master Wu; he was a Juren, a respected scholar, so his family circumstances were probably quite good.
The guests had arrived unexpectedly, and Zhao Ger felt his home was unprepared. With only roast duck to serve, he worried the offering seemed meager and that he was failing as a host.
No meat was sold in the village; anyone wanting some had to make a trip to town. Furthermore, he assumed that people of their status had likely grown tired of commonplace dishes like chicken and duck.
Living with the young master Fang Zichen, Zhao Ger knew these people didn't care much for meat; they preferred fresh, simple vegetable dishes.
Zhao Ger hoisted a hoe onto his shoulder to go dig for fishmint. Guaizai immediately volunteered to help. Having never experienced village life before, Yang Mingyi was eager to join them and see what it was like.
As they walked to the gate, Old Master Wu followed them.
Zhao Ger suddenly went back to pull Fang Zichen. "Husband, you come too!"
Fang Zichen shook his head vigorously. "Not going, not going."
"Really not going?" Zhao Ger asked.
Fishwort typically grew in damp, wet soil, and these areas were also often full of loaches.
The first time Fang Zichen encountered fishwort, he was put off by its unusual smell and hesitated to try it. But after one tentative bite, he was pleasantly surprised and quickly grew fond of it. The very next day, he eagerly accompanied Zhao Ger to dig for more. However, with his first swing of the hoe, he turned over a clump of dirt, exposing three or four earthworms that immediately began writhing violently. Fang Zichen froze, his breath catching in his throat. If he hadn't been so determined to maintain his composure in front of Zhao Ger, he might have fainted on the spot.
That one experience left a deep impression on him, unforgettable to this day. How could he dare go now?
A bite to eat wasn't enough to make him conquer his fear.
Of course, if there were dozens of catties of gold buried there, asking him to go dig for it... that might also be possible.
Zhao Ger looked back and saw that Yang Mingyi and the others had already left the courtyard. He pulled on Fang Zichen's arm, shaking it incessantly. "Husband, please go, please!"
Yang Mingyi was going along; they were both ger, so they could converse easily. But Old Master Wu was different.
Thinking of his status, Zhao Ger always felt somewhat constrained and nervous around him. But leaving him unattended would be rude.
Whenever Zhao Ger spoke softly and acted coquettishly, Fang Zichen was helpless.
At times like this, even if Zhao Ger asked him to climb a mountain of swords or descend into a sea of fire, he could probably do it.
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