SLH | Chapter 15

Severing Ties

Meanwhile, at Liu Laoda’s house.

Liu Xiaomei looked worriedly at Xia Ge’er, who was lying on the bed, eyes closed and muttering incessantly.

“Grandpa Liang, how is Xia Ge’er?”

Doctor Liang put away his medicine box and said, “It’s nothing serious, just a fright. He needs some comfort. Xia Ge’er is young, if not handled properly, it might affect his mind.”

Affect his mind?

Liu Xiaomei was stunned.

She recalled a foolish man in Shanghe Village who was frightened as a child. His parents didn’t take it seriously, and by the time they realized it, it was too late. Xia Ge’er…

Doctor Liang guessed what the little girl was thinking and comforted her, “It’s not as serious as you think. He might just become quieter or more timid.”

Liu Xiaomei patted her chest and let out a sigh of relief, “Grandpa Liang, you scared me.”

“That’s good, that’s good,” Sixth Aunt Yang also breathed a sigh of relief, patting Liu Xiaomei’s shoulder, “Lingzhi, take good care of Xia Ge’er at home. I’ll walk Doctor Liang out.”

“Thank you, Auntie.” Liu Xiaomei’s eyes were red, “My brother-in-law hasn’t returned yet. If you see him on the way, please tell him to come back soon.”

“Alright.”

“Uncle… Xia Ge’er wants Uncle… boohoo…”

As soon as the two of them left the courtyard, Xia Ge’er woke up. The little guy didn’t see Song Tingzhu and started crying uncontrollably, clutching the corner of his blanket.

Liu Xiaomei, worried about his throat, quickly comforted him, “Don’t cry, Xia Ge’er. Brother-in-law will be back soon.”

Just as she finished speaking, Song Tingzhu’s voice came from the door.

“Xiaomei, Xia Ge’er.”

Liu Xiaomei’s face lit up with joy, “Brother-in-law!”

Xia Ge’er saw Song Tingzhu return and raised his tear-streaked face, reaching out his arms towards him, “Uncle…”

Song Tingzhu quickly walked to the bed and bent down to hold the little guy in his arms.

“Uncle is here.”

Xia Ge’er grabbed his clothes with his little hands, his face pressed against Song Tingzhu’s neck, and said in a crying voice, “Boohoo, Xia Ge’er is not a liar. Uncle, please don’t hate Xia Ge’er, okay?”

Song Tingzhu gently stroked Xia Ge’er’s hair, his voice soft, “How could uncle hate such a good boy like Xia Ge’er? Uncle knows it wasn’t you who lied, it was Liu Jie and his siblings.”

He took out some silver from his pocket and asked gently, “Xia Ge’er, do you see what this is?”

Xia Ge’er, still nestled against his neck, lifted his chin slightly, his forehead resting on Song Tingzhu’s shoulder, looking very dependent.

“It’s silver,” the little guy said softly.

Song Tingzhu smiled, “This is what uncle got back for you.”

Xia Ge’er blinked, “For Xia Ge’er?”

“Yes, uncle has already taught those who bullied you a lesson,” Song Tingzhu said as he took the handkerchief Liu Xiaomei handed over, wiping the little guy’s tear-streaked face, “If you meet the people from the west courtyard again and can’t avoid them, come home and find uncle. Uncle will help you.”

Xia Ge’er, hearing this, raised his little fist with a fierce look, “Uncle, help Xia Ge’er beat them up.”

Song Tingzhu chuckled and agreed, “Alright.”

Earlier in the west courtyard, besides getting back half a tael of silver, he pretended to stumble and gave Liu Jie a lesson. At just five years old, he had already learned the sharp and mean ways of Liu Laotai. If not properly guided, he would surely cause trouble in the future.

But now that the two families had completely severed ties, what happened to the people in the west courtyard was no longer his concern.

After coaxing Xia Ge’er to drink his medicine, Song Tingzhu held him until he fell asleep before turning his attention to other matters.

Near noon, Ruan Xiulian and her daughter-in-law returned from fertilizing the fields and were furious upon hearing about the incident.

Tang Chunxing, on the other hand, was so angry that she picked up a hatchet, ready to go to the west courtyard to seek justice for her little brother, but was stopped by Liu Xiaomei.

“Elder sister-in-law, calm down. Brother-in-law has already dealt with it for Xia Ge’er. Not only did he get back half a tael of silver, but he also taught Liu Jie a lesson. And grandmother said in front of everyone that she wants to sever ties with our family, even wrote a letter for it. We won’t have to pay for their old age anymore.”

Ruan Xiulian was shocked, “What, that old woman actually agreed to sever ties with our family?”

Tang Chunxing was also stunned into silence for a moment before asking Liu Xiaomei, “Did Zhu Ge’er do it?”

Liu Xiaomei nodded heavily, “Yes! Brother-in-law is amazing. As soon as grandmother heard it might affect Liu Yushu’s future, she immediately wanted to cut ties with our family and said that when Liu Yushu becomes a scholar, we won’t get any benefits.”

Ruan Xiulian scoffed, “Who cares, even if they have a scholar or a top scorer, I won’t stoop to please them.”

Considering the old woman nearly caused the death of her two sons back then, Ruan Xiulian would never bow her head in this lifetime.

Tang Chunxing added, “We should have cut ties long ago. For years, father gave them money every time they came crying for Liu Yushu’s education. With the monthly old-age support, we’ve given them a lot of money. But the west courtyard lives comfortably. I heard Liu Jie say he eats two eggs a day, while our Xia Ge’er can’t even have one. And Xiaomei, at twelve, looks like she’s ten. Our hard times are linked to the west courtyard!”

Tang Chunxing, who usually liked to take small advantages and had a sharp tongue, never wavered on important matters. Knowing that it was her brother-in-law who stood up for Xia Ge’er, her prejudice against Song Tingzhu lessened significantly.

“Where’s brother-in-law? Why don’t I see him?”

Ruan Xiulian also looked at her youngest daughter.

Liu Xiaomei said, “Brother-in-law put Xia Ge’er to sleep and, feeling tired, went to lie down.”

Ruan Xiulian nodded, “Let him rest more.”

Tang Chunxing said, “Mother, I’ll make some porridge for brother-in-law. He can have it when he wakes up.”

Oh, she’s changed her tune today.

Ruan Xiulian gave her eldest daughter-in-law a look and then said, “Make some more, add a couple of eggs. Xia Ge’er needs to be nourished after the fright.”

Tang Chunxing smiled, “Okay.”

Song Tingzhu slept until dusk, and only then did the family realize something was wrong. Ruan Xiulian went to the west room to check and found Song Tingzhu wrapped in a quilt, his face flushed, lying in bed.

“Oh no, he’s caught a cold. Xiaomei, go to the village entrance and get Doctor Liang!”

Tang Chunxing immediately said, “Xiaomei is slow. I’ll go.”

With that, she turned and ran out of the courtyard.

Two quarters of an hour later, Doctor Liang, carrying his medicine box, walked into the Liu family courtyard, out of breath. After examining Song Tingzhu, he stroked his beard and said, “It’s nothing serious, just a cold. With a couple of doses of medicine and some rest, he’ll be fine.”

Before the three women could relax, he added, “But, since Huzi’s brother-in-law is already weak, what seems like a minor illness to others can be a severe illness for him.”

The family became anxious again, “What should we do?”

Doctor Liang stroked his beard and changed his tone again.

“But there’s no need to worry too much. He’ll just be sick for a while longer, but there’s no danger to his life.”

The three women didn’t dare to breathe, fearing more bad news. Only when Doctor Liang slung his medicine box over his shoulder, ready to leave, did their hearts settle.

－

Song Tingzhu was sick for over a month. Life seemed to return to the days when he lived in the Bamboo Garden, spending most of his time in bed with little chance to go outside.

The difference was that this time he could read to pass the time, and he had Liu Xiaomei, Xia Ge’er, and Tian Le as company, so he didn’t feel too stifled even though he couldn’t leave the room.

What surprised him the most was his elder sister-in-law, Tang Chunxing. During this time, she suddenly changed her attitude, no longer speaking to him with sarcasm. She often brought him tea and water with a smile, asking if he was thirsty or hungry.

Song Tingzhu guessed it was because of Xia Ge’er and felt quite happy, thinking he had turned the situation to his advantage and won over his sister-in-law.

“Oh dear, the whole family is unfilial, from the old to the young. They even calculate my coffin money. Such rotten hearts, they should be struck by lightning! Oh, unfilial, everyone come and see…”

Tian Le entered the room with a sewing basket, rolling his eyes, “That old woman is yelling in front of the courtyard again. She comes every few days and doesn’t even get tired.”

Song Tingzhu leaned against the headboard, smiling at him, “Here she is again.”

Tian Le plopped down at the foot of the bed, speaking helplessly, “Brother-in-law, you can still laugh. Now the village is saying you’re a fox spirit, causing trouble for the Liu family.”

Song Tingzhu smirked, “Isn’t being a fox spirit good? You can live for thousands of years if you like.”

Tian Le puffed his cheeks, frustrated, “Fox spirit isn’t a good term. That old woman is spreading rumors while you’re sick and can’t go out. Although Aunt and Brother Huzi have dealt with her, Liu Cuie is old, and you can’t hit her. The threats don’t really scare her.”

Seeing Song Tingzhu still smiling without a hint of anger, Tian Le wanted to shake him awake.

Song Tingzhu, unhurried, finished his tea before speaking, “Don’t worry, I have a way to deal with Liu Laotai.”

Tian Le immediately leaned in, “Really? What’s the plan?”

Song Tingzhu said, “Liu Cuie cares most about her grandson Liu Yushu’s future, and she believes in ghosts and gods. These days are just the time for the children’s exams. We can use this to distract her.”

Tian Le clapped his hands, “Brother-in-law is smart. Liu Yushu is her lifeline. If there’s any negative talk about her grandson, she can curse for days.”

He gave Song Tingzhu a mischievous grin, “Brother-in-law, leave it to me. I’ll make sure it’s done beautifully~”

Knowing Tian Le was sensible, Song Tingzhu nodded in agreement.

“By the way, any progress with the blueprints?”

“None…” The person who had been lively and smiling suddenly slumped, looking worried.

“I’ve nearly worn out the blueprints, but I still have no clue. I feel like I’m thinking in the wrong direction. If it doesn’t work tomorrow, I’ll try a different approach.”

Song Tingzhu encouraged him, “Don’t worry, I believe you can do it.”

Tian Le lowered his head, disheartened, “Only you say that. My mom keeps saying I’m no good, and it’s giving me a complex.”

Tian Le, usually optimistic, quickly bounced back without needing Song Tingzhu’s comfort.

He straightened up, hands on his hips, “No problem. Once I achieve something great, Mom will see how capable her son is!”

Song Tingzhu, infected by Le Ge’er’s confidence, couldn’t help but feel hopeful too.

Tian Le stayed with him until noon, leaving with his unfinished embroidery before the Liu family returned from the fields.

Liu Xiaomei was cooking in the kitchen, with Xia Ge’er helping to add firewood. Every now and then, the little guy would sneak a peek at Song Tingzhu, worried he might get out of bed without permission.

Uncle said he could only get out of bed for a quarter of an hour each day, not a minute more!

The door was pushed open by little hands, followed by a round head peeking in.

Song Tingzhu saw it and smiled silently, beckoning to the little guy who only showed his almond eyes.

“Come here.”

Xia Ge’er’s eyes lit up, and he ran over, sticking to the bed, smiling, “Uncle.”

Song Tingzhu pinched the little guy’s soft cheek, asking with a smile, “Are you helping your little aunt with the cooking?”

“Uh-huh~”

“Good boy. Uncle has some candy here. Would Xia Ge’er like some?”

Xia Ge’er looked at him warily.

A few days ago, Uncle had tricked him like this, and he ended up being scolded by Uncle.

Remembering the incident, the little guy immediately hid his hands behind his back, pouting at Song Tingzhu.

Seeing this, Song Tingzhu’s eyes filled with amusement, “I won’t trick you this time. Uncle won’t secretly get out of bed again.”

The little guy clearly didn’t believe him, frowning, “Really? You’re not lying to Xia Ge’er?”

“Really.” Song Tingzhu tapped the little guy’s forehead, smiling as he replied.

Only then did Xia Ge’er relax, showing a smile, “Thank you, Uncle~”

Song Tingzhu patted the little guy’s head, his hair styled straight up, amused.

He had done the hairstyle. The little guy had been sticking to him lately, coming to him for hair styling almost every day. The family found it cute, but outside, it drew laughter.

After hearing from Xiaomei, Song Tingzhu practiced for a while. Although his skills improved, they were only good enough not to fall apart, just barely presentable.

But even so, the little guy was already very happy.

After giving Xia Ge’er half a bowl of tea, Song Tingzhu handed him a few more pieces of candy.

“Take these and share them with your little aunt.”

“Okay!” With that, he slid off the bed, running off with his short legs.

It was early spring, with clear skies and warm weather, the grass turning green. It was also time for the wheat to grow and be fertilized and watered.

The Liu family had little land, but it still took a few days to irrigate it all. With few laborers, Ruan Xiulian, her daughter-in-law, and Liu Dasheng took three days to finish the work.

To replenish their strength, Liu Xiaomei cooked more lavish meals than usual these days.

Tang Chunxing, carrying a hoe, entered the courtyard, catching the aroma of fried egg shoots, making her mouth water.

“Oh, Xiaomei, frying egg shoots again.”

Liu Xiaomei poked her head out of the kitchen, “Also fried bacon slices and steamed coarse rice.”

“So sumptuous.”

Not only Tang Chunxing, but Ruan Xiulian and her husband couldn’t help but swallow.

Inside the west room, Song Tingzhu listened to the chatter outside, pressing his lips together.

To pay for his treatment, the family had tightened their belts. They had also paid for the irrigation fees. There probably wasn’t much money left with his mother. In summer, they’d have to pay various taxes, at least a tael of silver for the eight members of the Liu family. They’d have to bow to neighbors and borrow money to get by.

Song Tingzhu pondered.

Making money was urgent. He needed to discuss it with his husband soon.

Author’s Note:

———————-

Caught up, caught up! Made up the 1,500 words owed from yesterday, hehe~

[Throwing flowers][Throwing flowers][Throwing flowers]