Chapter 173
Before He Huihui was married, she never cared much for going out. After returning from the dissolved marriage, she liked it even less.
Whenever she did go out, people would always stare at her, asking why she had been staying at her parents' home for so long this time, whether she had argued with her husband, and why she still hadn't had a child after five years of marriage.
He Huihui was endlessly annoyed by these questions. She didn't want to tell the truth either, as being divorced or having a marriage dissolved was not exactly a glorious matter.
But recently, with the cold weather, people went out less. He Huihui finally thought of taking a stroll and, without realizing it, ended up walking here.
Fang Zichen hadn't gone far. Seeing her not answering but staring over there, Aunt He understood and said with a smile, "Did you just see Young Fang?"
"Yes!" He Huihui withdrew her gaze, saying coyly, "Mother, he is really handsome."
"Not just handsome," Aunt He said. "He's also capable!"
He Huihui knew her mother well. As soon as she heard that, she understood exactly what her mother was about to say—it would surely be about how promising he was and that he worked at Zuixiao Restaurant, things like that.
Sure enough, Aunt He continued, "He is a scholar. I heard from your uncle that he studied for over ten years before; his family was quite well-off. He's also very strong; he used to carry heavy sacks at the dock. But he's ambitious—he went to work at Zuixiao Restaurant as a bookkeeper, earning three taels of silver a month! The other day, he also passed the tongsheng exam. Your uncle told me he asked Young Fang—after the new year, he's even planning to take the xiucai exam."
"What?" He Huihui exclaimed, her voice rising sharply. Her heart pounded as if she couldn't believe it.
"He's going to take the xiucai exam after the new year? And he passed the tongsheng exam?"
"Yes!" Aunt He was startled. "You girl, already twenty years old, and still so easily startled. Didn't I mention this before?"
He Huihui said nothing.
Aunt He had mentioned it before, but at the time, He Huihui had been dismissive and hadn't paid close attention.
She had assumed he was merely a waiter who ran errands and wiped tables at the Zuixiao Restaurant. It was only later, while washing clothes by the river, that she overheard people talking and discovered he was actually the bookkeeper, earning three taels of silver each month. Even during the Wu family's most prosperous times, their monthly profit, after costs, had only been about that much.
Aunt He often described the Wu family as well-off, claiming they ate meat with every meal. However, that wasn't entirely true. They only made a special purchase of meat when she was visiting; otherwise, their household typically consumed meat just once every two or three days. Within the town, the Wu family's standard of living was considered average at best, bordering on modest. Nevertheless, it was still far more comfortable than life in the village.
Fang Zichen earned three taels of silver a month, and he had no parents. Marrying him meant not having to serve a mother-in-law or father-in-law...
Every time Aunt He started talking about Fang Zichen, He Huihui would grow somewhat impatient after hearing too much. Over the past month or more, she hadn't gone out much. The whole village knew about Fang Zichen passing the tongsheng exam, only she was unaware.
Before, not knowing Fang Zichen intended to take the xiucai exam, just his identity as the bookkeeper at Zuixiao Restaurant had already made her heart flutter. Now, he actually planned to take the xiucai exam...
There weren't many xiucai in the whole town. The more she thought about it, the more her heart warmed, her cheeks flushed red, and the handkerchief in her hand twisted into a knot. Distracted all the way home, her mind filled with the image of Fang Zichen smiling warmly in the lingering sunset glow. Once home, she pestered Aunt He to inquire about all sorts of details regarding Fang Zichen. In the following days, around the time Fang Zichen finished work, she would often pretend to pass by the village entrance to sneak glances at him.
Aunt He saw this and smiled, saying, "Has my daughter taken a liking to him? I told you earlier, this young man is good. You just refused to believe it before."
"Mother~" He Huihui recalled the few times she had met Fang Zichen, thinking about how he was such an outstanding and upright person. She said despondently, "I have been married before. Young Master Fang probably would not think highly of me."
Aunt He was also very satisfied with Fang Zichen. Although in their previous encounters, Fang Zichen seemed to have some reservations about her, it didn't matter. Just think about his three taels of silver a month, think about Zhou Ger's family. If Fang Zichen became her son-in-law, perhaps her family could also supply vegetables to Zuixiao Restaurant and become the mother-in-law of a xiucai scholar!
She had already made preparations earlier and immediately said, "You're overthinking things. What does it matter that you were married before? With your good looks, unmatched for miles around, what are you worried about? Zhao Ger is also someone who was married before and had a child. Young Fang doesn't despise him; why would he despise you?"
Remembering Zhao Ger's perpetually dusty and unkempt appearance, He Huihui felt a surge of confidence in her own looks. However...
"Mother, but I don't want to be a concubine."
Being someone's concubine wasn't entirely out of the question, but the thought of Zhao Ger—whose looks, family background, and figure were all inferior to hers—being above her made He Huihui sick with frustration.
"What concubine? You silly child," Aunt He poked her forehead. "If you really want to marry Young Fang, you'd definitely be the principal wife. Since ancient times, whenever a man has two wives, have you ever seen a case where the ger is the principal wife and the woman is the concubine? If you really marry him, that Zhao Ger would definitely have to step aside."
These words were like a stabilizing pill. He Huihui thought about it and indeed, that seemed to be the case. She couldn't help but feel relieved.
___
Since charcoal fire was added to the room, Fang Zichen's habit of lying in bed had become increasingly severe.
The bedding was warm and cozy, and getting up felt like a death sentence.
Before, Zhao Ger could still manage to wake him, but that no longer worked. If called, Fang Zichen would grumble about the noise and burrow deeper beneath the quilt. Left with no choice, Zhao Ger could only pull off the quilt and drag him out. Whenever this happened, Guaizai would always say in a childish voice, "Father so pitiful!" And then help Zhao Ger pull him from the bed.
The Third Young Master Fang was quite delicate, complaining of heat in summer and cold in winter. Worried he might catch a chill, Zhao Ger also spent a considerable amount to buy him a deep-red, hooded fox-fur cloak. It was lined with soft white fur and embroidered with patterns of auspicious clouds.
It was goods the shop owner bought from the neighboring prefecture. The embroidery skills of the seamstresses there were good, and the cloak looked quite fine.
But it seemed the people from that neighboring prefecture must have been exceptionally tall. Although many customers admired the cloak displayed in the shop, whenever they tried it on, a significant length would drag along the ground.
Ancient people's average height was quite short, few were as tall as Fang Zichen.
When Zhao Ger first entered the shop, he spotted it at a glance. It cost over eight taels of silver, and it was only because the shop couldn't sell it that they gave it to him at a discount.
Red was too bright and dazzling; ordinary people couldn't carry off this color. But Fang Zichen was different. His skin was cool and fair, he was tall and handsome, and wearing it didn't make him look effeminate at all. On the contrary, it accentuated his handsome and noble demeanor. When he tried it on upon returning, this flamboyant outfit, paired with his unbeatable looks, displayed the essence of a "soft rice king" to the fullest.
[吃软饭 (chī ruǎn fàn): lit. eating soft rice; fig. a derogatory term for a person, especially a man, who lives off a partner's financial support instead of working].
Zhao Ger's eyes were instantly glued to him, feeling that with this clothing, the man instantly seemed to glow—dazzling, eye-catching, lethally attractive, and irresistibly captivating. As he looked, he couldn't help but start to blush, his ears grew hot, and his heart pounded wildly.
Since it was a gift from him, Fang Zichen loved it and was very careful when wearing it usually.
However, Zhao Ger seemed to particularly like him in red clothing. For this, he went and bought a lot of fabric specifically for Aunt Liu to make clothes for him.
Wearing red every day made Fang Zichen feel like he was getting married every single day, it was so festive.
But seeing the admiration in Zhao Ger's eyes, he also felt quite pleased.
Today when going to work, the sky was overcast. When finishing work, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky. As he walked to the village entrance, he ran into He Huihui again.
He Huihui wore a light-pink brocade wrap-top paired with a floor-length, flowing pink chiffon skirt, which revealed the elegant curve of her neck and her distinct collarbones. Her waist was indeed as slim as a bound silk cord, and her lips were a vivid red.
Fang Zichen couldn't help but shiver.
This young lady was truly a warrior.
Seeing Fang Zichen, He Huihui walked forward gracefully and asked with a knowing smile, "Young Master Fang, are you returning from work? I came here to pick vegetables, never expecting... what a coincidence!"
Fang Zichen did not believe it was a coincidence. After encountering her repeatedly and being approached by her several times, anyone with a bit of sense would understand her intention.
He responded with a faint "hmm," his expression remaining indifferent.
He Huihui also had a basket hanging from her wrist, containing a small head of leafy greens.
Fang Zichen found it rather amusing.
She didn't even know how to put on a convincing performance.
The He family had nine members, a whole big family. Picking just one small head of vegetables—with leaves no larger than a palm—were they simply going back just to smell it?
He Huihui’s eyes lingered on Fang Zichen’s fox-fur cloak for a moment. She blew into her cupped hands and said mournfully, "This weather is really so cold."
Knowing it's cold yet wearing so few clothes—what a big idiot.
Upon hearing such words from a beauty, an ordinary man would probably feel so heartbroken he'd want to strip off all his clothes to drape over the beauty.
However, Fang Zichen was different. Without stopping his steps, upon hearing this, he merely lifted his eyelids and said in agreement, "It is indeed cold."
He Huihui: "......"
He Huihui forced a smile and said bluntly, "Young Master Fang, could you lend me your cloak to wear? It's really too cold." Right after saying this, as if on cue, she covered her mouth and let out a delicate little sneeze.
"No," Fang Zichen tightened his cloak, showing no gentlemanly demeanor. "I'm also freezing. Can't give it to you. Sorry, but I can't help."
"Young Master Fang, but I..."
Fang Zichen didn't know why, but hearing He Huihui call him "Young Master Fang" in that delicate voice made him inexplicably uncomfortable. "You, could you not call me Young Master Fang?"
A smile appeared in He Huihui's eyes. "Then shall I call you Brother Fang?"
Fang Zichen paused in his steps, turned back, and looked at her with an indescribable expression. "May I ask your honorable age?"
In this era, with the strict separation between men and women, asking a young woman's age out of the blue was actually somewhat improper, unless...
He Huihui's heart felt like it was about to jump out of her throat. She said excitedly, "This young woman is twenty years of age."
"So old?" Fang Zichen exclaimed in astonishment. "I'm only eighteen. And you, a twenty-year-old, calling me 'brother'—have you no sense of shame?"
He Huihui: "......"
The smile on He Huihui's face could no longer be maintained. The words 'so old' were like a sharp sword, stabbing straight into her heart, piercing through her entire chest. She seemed to sway unsteadily.
Seeing her looking deeply shocked and about to collapse, Fang Zichen laughed heartily inside.
What a fool. Acting as if she just happens to run into me every day, hoping for a chance encounter that blossoms into love—is she dreaming?
I’m clearly a man who already has a fulang, with a child old enough to be sent on errands. For her to still carry on like this… she probably isn’t a good sort either.
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