“Little yellow peach!”
[…Present.]
Jing Heguang: “What time is it now? What has slag gong done!”
[Don’t worry, host, the time nodes we chose to travel through are all suitable for transformation, so the original slag gong hasn’t had time to do anything yet.]
Jing Heguang felt a little relieved after hearing this answer.
[Now you are just over 20 years old, you are about to take the provincial examination. You will become a Juren after this provincial examination.]
[You came home to get money to take the provincial examination and celebrate the new year. Going to school costs a lot of money, so Zhang Xingyu is very tight on money. In addition to working hard to kill pigs, he also has to go hunt in the mountains. Host, you are such a scumbag!]
Jing Heguang was helpless: “It’s not me, it’s the original slag gong!”
[Host, you are now the slag gong himself.]
Jing Heguang: “Goodbye.”
The cohesive little yellow peach system rolled away neatly. Jing Heguang was ready to get up to take a look at the situation.
It was the twelfth lunar month and the weather was freezing.
Jing Heguang put on a clean and thick cotton coat on one side, tied his hair casually then pushed out the door.
The Zhang family’s house has a shop in front, a small courtyard in the middle, and the residence in the back.
When he opened the door, Jing Heguang heard voices coming from the front.
Jing Heguang walked forward and stopped near the back door of the store.
Someone was talking to Zhang Xingyu, and it was about Jing Heguang.
Jing Heguang touched his nose and felt that he had shouldered a huge blame for slag gong.
“Xing’ger, it’s not that I’m mean. Listen to Aunt Fang, don’t let Heguang go to the exam! If he really wants to go, tell him to marry you first!”
“How much does it cost to go to Fucheng to take the exam? With so much money invested, if he refuses to marry you and runs away, you’re just fetching water from a bamboo basket!”
The woman who spoke was in her forties, with a cloth half covering her hair and a serious expression on her face.
Zhang Xingyu smiled faintly at her: “Aunt Fang, thank you for your kindness. I understand.”
Outsiders were worried that Zhang Xingyu wouldn’t feel anything, but he was more apprehensive than anyone else.
However, Zhang Xingyu couldn’t force Jing Heguang to marry him.
First, it is a loss because no ger has done it like that. Second, Zhang Xingyu feels that a twisted melon is not sweet.
When Jing Heguang passes the imperial examination in the future, he may not want to marry a ger who looks like a man. Zhang Xingyu thought: Then let the other party give him more money as compensation for his efforts in the past few years. A Master Juren will never be short of money.
Aunt Fang was so angry that she said: “You know nothing! If your father were here, he would have married you honestly a few years ago, and your kids would be able to make soy sauce by now!”
Butcher Zhang is a good person and a good father. However, he was kind to the original owner because he wanted the original owner to be kind to his ger, not because he had no place to go.
Zhang Xingyu’s eyes were moist when he thought of his deceased father.
He didn’t want Aunt Fang to see him like this, so he lowered his head.
Aunt Fang thought he didn’t want to hear it, so she got even more angry!
But then, her anger was interrupted.
Jing Heguang walked into the shop from the back door, stood next to Zhang Xingyu, and said seriously: “I won’t run away.”
Aunt Fang was a little dumbfounded. Talking about people behind their backs is not a good thing.
However, what Aunt Fang said about Jing Heguang was right.
Aunt Fang raised her head, frowned and looked at Jing Heguang and said: “You won’t run if you say you won’t? Then tell me, why are you delaying the marriage on purpose? If you can make it clear, then forget it. If you can’t make it clear, I will call the neighbors to stand up for Xing’ger!”
As Aunt Fang spoke, Jing Heguang smelled the unique smell from the pork shop.
It doesn’t smell very good and it’s relatively unfamiliar.
But this is his own shop! What does it mean that it smells strange?
Jing Heguang thought about it and found that the original owner disliked the vulgar work of killing pigs and selling pork, so he rarely came to the front.
When Jing Heguang thought of this, he almost got angry at what he had done.
If you dislike it then why did you rely on Zhang Xingyu to kill pigs to get you into school? Why don’t you dislike it when you rely on Zhang Xingyu to eat and dress?
Jing Heguang’s face turned red, then found a suitable reason to answer Aunt Fang: “I didn’t delay it on purpose. It’s not good to marry Xing’ger with the money he earned…”
That’s right, the original owner, a scumbag, only knows how to spend money and doesn’t care about making money at all.
If the original owner were in front of Jing Heguang, Jing Heguang would definitely use all kinds of weapons he knew to beat him to vent his anger!
Jing Heguang did not avoid the question but explained it directly, which made Aunt Fang suddenly realize.
So that’s it!
The most useless person is a scholar, Jing Heguang didn’t earn a single copper. No wonder he kept silent about marrying a husband.
Zhang Xingyu was also stunned.
Is that so? It’s not that he dislikes him for not being beautiful…
Aunt Fang looked at Xing’ger, who was looking at Jing Heguang absent-mindedly, and shook her head in her heart.
Just one sentence, and you are so enamored? What a silly guy!
However, Jing Heguang is indeed handsome. Aunt Fang said in her heart.
After recovering her thoughts, Aunt Fang continued to be the bad person and asked Jing Heguang: “Boy Heguang, let me ask you, is Xing’ger a person who cares about money?”
Jing Heguang shook his head: “Of course Xing’ger is not a person who cares about money.”
Aunt Fang quickly said: “That’s it, Xing’ger doesn’t care about that! He’s not young anymore, so I think you should take advantage of this twelfth lunar month to get married. Just give me a clear answer, is that good or not?”
Aunt Fang thought to herself: Doesn’t matter how beautiful the words are, they are not as good as directly implementing it.
Suddenly the conversation jumped from wanting to run away to getting married.
Zhang Xingyu, who was listening, heart was beating like a drum.
He felt uneasy and very nervous, so he cautiously looked at Jing Heguang beside him.
Jing Heguang happened to look at him as well.
Zhang Xingyu opened the shop and the wind blew for most of the day. The tip of his pretty nose and his cheeks were red from the cold. In addition, thinking of father Zhang made his big eyes redden, he looked extremely aggrieved.
A little ger works hard every day to support his family, but his fiancé doesn’t even give him a right word. Who wouldn’t feel aggrieved?
So…Jing Heguang beat the original owner again in his heart!
He stretched out his hand to hold Zhang Xingyu’s big hand and said, “Okay, we’ll do it this twelfth lunar month.”
He was indeed a little impulsive when he agreed. However, Jing Heguang was actually quite happy.
Zhang Xingyu is a very tough ger. This can be seen from the fact that he can support the family after father Zhang passed away. Jing Heguang likes Zhang Xingyu’s character very much.
Moreover, in fact, Zhang Xingyu is not really ugly. He has thick eyebrows and big eyes, combined with facing the sun and wind everyday that make his skin a little rough, he looks like a man, which does not conform to the usual ger’s appearance-wise in this world.
However, in Jing Heguang’s eyes, Zhang Xingyu is already handsome! If he takes good care of himself, he will look even more handsome!
Jing Heguang gave an affirmative answer, finally convincing Aunt Fang that he would not run away.
Aunt Fang smiled happily: “That’s great! I’ll help you later, and maybe you can save some gift money for Heguang to take the exam!”
“I’ll tell the others, you two can talk first.” Aunt Fang glanced at Zhang Xingyu, then she put down the money for the meat and left happily with the meat.
Jing Heguang thought, this aunt is also a wonderful person. She can change her attitude very quickly, and she also knows how to use her position to control others. Say it first, then he won’t be able to reject it later even if he doesn’t want to.
As soon as Aunt Fang left, Zhang Xingyu immediately took out his hand and put it behind his back.
He takes his hand quickly and with great force. When Jing Heguang found out, he had already hid his hands!
Jing Heguang was stunned for a moment, then asked: “Why did you pull your hand back?”
Zhang Xingyu whispered: “…it doesn’t look good.”
Compared with other ger’ hands, his knuckles were thicker, just like a man’s hand. Not to mention that he holds a big knife and guards the pork shop all day long, his hands are also stained with oil.
In contrast, Jing Heguang’s hand only held a brush. It was straight, slender, and white. Who knows how many times his hand is better-looking than his.
Jing Heguang frowned, feeling a little distressed.
When he just touched Zhang Xingyu’s hand, he found that his hand was cold with cracks.
Jing Heguang showed a guilty expression: “If you take good care of yourself, you will definitely look good. It’s all my fault! It makes you work so hard.”
“It’s not your fault! It’s not hard either. This is how everyone lives.” Zhang Xingyu hurriedly spoke out and he stretched out his hands anxiously.
Jing Heguang grabbed his hand and held Zhang Xingyu’s hands in his palms: “Your hands are too cold, I will cover them for you.”
Zhang Xingyu was stunned for a moment but did not withdraw his hands.
This was the first time that he was so close to Jing Heguang. When he was young, he was shy and embarrassed; later on, he was busy making a living and had no time to think so much.
Jing Heguang’s palms were very warm, making Zhang Xingyu’s face redder than before.
Jing Heguang covered Zhang Xingyu’s hands for a while, then asked him: “Xing’ger, can the store be closed for a while? I have something very important to tell you.”
Jing Heguang planned to tell the original owner’s life experience and his mother’s unfortunate experience. This can also explain why the original owner has always wanted to go to school, which can also solve Zhang Xingyu’s deepest doubts.
Zhang Xingyu didn’t know what he wanted to do, but he still nodded and said: “Okay, if someone comes to buy meat, they will call me.”
Thus, Jing Heguang and Zhang Xingyu put up the door panel of the shop and closed the shop.
The two walked through the small courtyard and entered the main room of the residence at the back.
There is a table in the middle of the main room, which is used both for eating and entertaining guests.
Jing Heguang and Zhang Xingyu sat in adjacent seats around the table, so they could see each other from the corner of their eyes.
Zhang Xingyu was a little nervous and asked cautiously: “Heguang, what do you want to say?”
Jing Heguang looked at him and asked seriously: “Do you remember when dad just brought me home? You were a little over five years old at the time.”
Zhang Xingyu frowned: “I only remember that you were very young at that time, fair and tender, and very cute.”
Zhang Xingyu couldn’t remember much of what happened when he was more than five years old. He looked at Jing Heguang with doubts on his face.
Jing Heguang smiled: “I remember you had a tiger doll that Aunt Fang made for you. You liked it very much. Later it was bitten by a mouse and you cried for three days.”
“I said this to you because I want you to know that I remember things very early on. I actually remember where my home is, but I don’t dare to go back, and I can’t go back!”
Jing Heguang confessed his original life experience: “When I was three years old, my father encountered some sea bandits while doing business and died unexpectedly. After he passed away, only my mother and I were left in the family.”
“The clansmen were greedy for the money my father left, so they hired a scoundrel to ruin my mother’s reputation, then forcibly adopted a son who was older than me in my father’s name.”
“They planned to sink my mother into the pond. It was useless for me to cry. My mother was afraid that they would harm me, so she asked someone to send me to a relative’s house in the countryside. Unexpectedly, that person was unreliable and sold me out halfway. I had always remembered what my mother said. I can’t go home and I can’t avenge her until I become successful.”
Jing Heguang stretched out his hand and took Zhang Xingyu’s left hand: “I’m sorry I kept this secret from you for many years. I only cared about myself and neglected you for many years.”
Zhang Xingyu, who felt that he finally knew the truth, was heartbroken!
Zhang Xingyu didn’t know how Jing Heguang could still smile now. The tears that he had not shed before when he was so aggrieved were now falling straight down.
While Zhang Xingyu was crying, he was clenching his right hand into a fist as if wanting to hit someone. He couldn’t help but complained for Jing Heguang: “Your clansmen were too bad! They will definitely get retribution!”
Jing Heguang, who almost couldn’t hold Zhang Xingyu’s left hand, was stunned for a moment, then smiled and coaxed him: “If you don’t cry, I won’t be sad anymore.”
Jing Heguang smiled because he was thinking: If the bad guy is in front of Zhang Xingyu, he will definitely rush out and beat them with his fists!
Some people may think that the act of beating people is rude and mindless. However, Jing Heguang thinks it is very cute! Because beating people means someone is protecting him!
After Jing Heguang patiently coaxed Zhang Xingyu with several words, Zhang Xingyu stopped crying.
Not only did Zhang Xingyu stop crying, he finally realized the current situation!
— Jing Heguang held his oily and unwashed hand and was coaxing him patiently. Jing Heguang’s hands were now stained with the grease from lard, but the other party didn’t seem to dislike it at all!
