Chapter 31

Glossary

[1] 亩 | mu | unit of area equal to one-fifteenth of a hectare

里 | li |unit of measurement that has varied over time but has now been standardized to 500 meters (Wikipedia)

儿 | er | (lit. child) diminutive marker used as a form of endearment

The early morning atmosphere was serene and refreshing, and the sunshine bathed the crystalline water of the Lan River in sparkling gold. Boats of various sizes sailed on the river, to and fro, the scene causing one to feel heart untroubled, spirit pleased[a].

Ruan Zhu leaned on the railing. Feeling her waist become tight, she could feel her sweetheart’s breath without turning her head. She lightly smiled: “In the future when I am rich, I’ll build a large garden on the sh.o.r.e of Lan River. Inside, I’ll plant Chinese parasol trees and xiangfei bamboo[b]. There will be all kinds of beautiful flowers; whatever exists, I’ll plant. It will be a garden with pavilions, fake mountains, and ponds. If I’m in a good mood, I’ll take the children out of the noisy city and stroll around. And then I’ll buy a large and beautiful ship and together with you and the children, we can go sightseeing as much as we like along the river. Following the river, wherever we want to go, we can go.”

This era’s garden landscapes were really primitive as the development of Chinese gardens expanded during the Song dynasty and reached its peak during the Ming and Qing dynasties. If she wants to set up a garden, she could just simply copy the famous gardens that appeared in later generations–Lion Grove Garden, Geyuan Garden, The Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty[c]……If she just picks for the essences of each garden, perhaps later she might pa.s.s as a master of landscaping and her name, Ruan Zhu, may even be recorded in the history books of Tian Chu.

狮子林 | Lion’s Grove Garden

个园 | Geyuan Garden

拙政园 | Humble Administrator’s Garden

环秀山庄 | Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty

Ruan Zhu elatedly daydreamed for a while before gloomily crashing back down. In her past life, she had never gone out on a trip before. Don’t mention gardens, she wasn’t even aware of what direction the doors of these imperial gardens opened towards. This plagiarism attempt was truly anticlimactic.

But~ she had seen information about them on the Internet. Just let her think it over!

Yun Shi Yi placed his head next to her soft white neck, a smiling expression in his eyes: “If you like it, why wait until the future? I can quickly have a large garden built for you.”

The land outside of the city walls were of little value, only about three to five taels of silver per each mu[1]. Buying some land to construct a flower garden was not much money either. If she liked it, he would build one for her after he settled the matters with the wood batch from the South.

His consideration was very kind, but how could he know that Ruan Zhu did not want to construct a regular garden? Just the manpower and materials alone would use quite a lot of money. The required taihu stones would also have to be transported from Jiangnan, and the roughly one thousand li round trip would also have an astronomical freight fee.

Taihu stones in Lion’s Grove Garden

Historical areas of Jiangnan

Ruan Zhu did not respond as she wanted to construct the garden using money she had personally earned.

For the entire day, the young couple stayed on the pleasure boat as it drifted along with the current directly heading downstream. They floated over ten li out before instructing the boatman to steer back. By the time they arrived on sh.o.r.e and prepared to return home, it was almost dusk. Fortunately, they were not far from the city gates. With masters and servants each riding in their respective carriages, they rushed home. The city gates had not yet closed, and entering the city, they unexpectedly ran into Yun Shi Wei.

The young fellow walked by the side of the road, shirtless. His coppery skin was shiny and the bulging muscles on his chest were firm and compact, resembling the solidness of stone. The Madams and young maidens pa.s.sing by all looked at him with burning eyes. After seeing him, all of them rubbed their eyes and without exception, continued to stare at him.

He did not care for their attention and his arrogant expression was one of ‘look if ya wanna look, this father is walking this father’s path‘. Carrying his clothes on his shoulder as he moved along with the crowd of people returning home, he was extremely eye-catching as he was taller than others by a head.

Ruan Zhu had been sitting by the window, looking outside at the view and saw him in a glance. “Second Cousin!” She extended and waved an arm in his direction. He was not a fool and saw her from the corner of his eye. Without waiting for the carriage to stop, he jerked open the carriage door as quick as lightning and in one leap, entered the carriage.

“Zhu Zhu, where did you go these past two days, causing me to be the only one thrown away at home, having to blankly stare at the wall everyday?” Yun Shi Wei complained as if Ruan Zhu had made an enormous fault. “Both of you ignore me and pretend I don’t exist. In both your eyes, aren’t I just a dispensable secondary husband? Whether I’m missing or dead, no one will care.”

That phrase he said–missing or dead……The rather large man was throwing a tantrum quite like how a child would.

Yun Shi Yi knew his little brother’s temperament. After he complains for a while, he’ll cease to remember it. Sending a sneer his way, Yun Shi Yi felt disinclined to pay further attention to him.

Ruan Zhu’s heart was soft and she felt that she was in the wrong. Moving closer to him, she lightly pulled on his thick and solid shoulder that was covered with sweat. This person sweated an unusual amount, unlike how Yun Shi Yi was always fresh and clean. “Second Cousin, I bought a very fresh carp. When we arrive home, I’ll have Nuan Qing make a soup for you to supplement your body.”

Unlike the cultivated fish farms of the future that all had an earthy and fishy taste, this was a very fresh and organic product from Lan River that did not contain any contaminates. Ruan Zhu fell in love with this taste after eating this fresh fish a few times and bought several from the fishermen that operated on Lan River. Those fish were currently in the carriage behind where Nuan Chun and Nuan Qing were.

“I don’t like eating fish.” In actuality, it wasn’t that he disliked eating fish; rather, he disliked how inconvenient the fish bones were. He liked eating meat and could eat it in big bites. It was completely different with how one had to slowly and painstakingly eat fish.

“Don’t worry, Second Cousin, I’ll help you pick out the bones so you can eat with big bites and won’t have to worry about the bones blocking your throat.” They’ve been together for so long now so how could she not understand this guy’s personality?

“You said it, so you must not forget.” The important thing was that he could enjoy her service, heh heh……Yun Shi Wei was quick to anger and quick to cool down. In one move of his arm, he held Ruan Zhu and placed her on his thigh, happily saying: “Zhu Zhu, I’ve missed you to death during these two days when I couldn’t see you. I don’t care, you have to sleep with me tonight.”

Upon hearing that she had to accompany him tonight, Ruan Zhu became miserable. This guy’s energy was astonishing with an insatiable appet.i.te, and every time was painful. Some people have said that men can do it seven times a night and their words were not false. “Sleeping with you is fine, but you are not allowed to move your hands and feet. After we eat, you have to actually sleep.”

“Then what would be the point?” Yun Shi Wei was bewildered.

“If you don’t agree, then just forget it. You can sleep in your own courtyard.” She was actually rather looking forward to it.

Yun Shi Wei thought about it for a while, worriedly grabbing at his hair. He responded angrily: “If you don’t want me to touch, I won’t touch. After all, it’s not like this hasn’t happened before. But you have to sleep in my quilt. If you don’t agree, I’ll keep annoying you. Even if I die, I won’t leave.”

Yun Shi Wei had unwillingly conceded and Ruan Zhu felt anxious in her heart. Sighing: “Okay then, we’ll do it like you said.”

Yun Shi Wei immediately exposed a delighted smile. Elated, he once again started being disobedient. Pulling apart her lapel, her ample peaks popped out. He grabbed her delicate shoulders, shaking her back and forth, making her two b.r.e.a.s.t.s jiggle and dance around.

Angered, Ruan Zhu asked him: “Do you have a problem with your brain?”

She hadn’t yet discovered that her originally spotless clothing had been darkened in a few places by him. His hands were as filthy as if they had just picked up charcoal. He had also not noticed and used his hands to each cup a breast. Her snowy and tender peaks at once turned into two burnt steamed buns.

“Second Cousin, let go of me!” Ruan Zhu cried out in fright, her two hands moving to randomly whack at his face. “You’re so dirty and stinky, quickly let go of me!”

“Shi Wei, what the h.e.l.l are you doing?” Yun Shi Yi had been thinking about the matter in the South that would occur in two days. Hearing a cry of fear made him realize that his brother had once again done something to cause a disturbance. Extending his arms, he reclaimed Ruan Zhu and placed her on his own lap. He picked up a towel from a table next to him and poured some water from the kettle on it. Thinking a bit, he pushed aside his own lapel and placed the moist towel on his chest for a while to warm it up before using the now-warm towel to wipe the areas that Yun Shi Wei had dirtied.

Ruan Zhu allowed him to wipe her clean, her heart faintly trembling. Tears involuntarily formed at the corners of her eyes and slowly dripped down. She buried her face in his chest.

“Wife, don’t cry. This husband vows to never let Shi Wei bully you again.” Yun Shi Yi rubbed her back, using a gentle voice to console her.

Ruan Zhu shook her head and raised it, smiling sweetly: “Eldest Cousin……Husband Lord, I’m all right. Second Cousin is very good, I don’t blame him.”

They were both very good and she was very content. She was not miserable–she had been moved by his actions. In her previous life, she had been alone ever since her mother had died. Although she wasn’t an orphan, but in actuality, she wasn’t much different from one and could even be said to be even more pathetic. She could never forget the scene from before her death……

Her tears dripped down again. Seeing Yun Shi Yi’s doubtful expression, she smiled again, revealing her two shallow dimples, the emotions in her tear-filled eyes moving others.

Yun Shi Yi stroked her nose with a fingertip: “What are you doing, crying and smiling? Are your tears of such little value?”

The sound of his words had yet to dissipate when she suddenly raised her head and kissed him, inserting her little tongue, searching for the base of his tongue as she swirled around it.

Yun Shi Yi was incredibly surprised as she rarely took the initiative like this. But he had been provoked by her enthusiasm and began to reciprocate.

“Zhu Zhu, there’s also me……” Yun Shi Yi was aggrieved. He wanted to go over but didn’t dare as he feared doing so would make her cry like earlier. Looking at his own black and dirty hands, he angrily wiped them on his pants. But lifting them up for a look, they had instead gotten even dirtier. It turned out his pants were even dustier than his hands.

Ruan Zhu had kissed Yun Shi Yi enough and buried her head again in his chest as she gasped for air. After a while, she turned her head and saw Yun Shi Wei’s angry appearance and couldn’t help but smile. Thinking for a bit, she turned around and gave Yun Shi Wei a dazzling smile.

“Zhu Zhu, you don’t blame me any longer?” Yun Shi Wei was completely flabbergasted by her att.i.tude and scratched his head.

Yet he saw Ruan Zhu extend her hand into his pants and stroke his little brother, slowly tormenting it. His shaft quickly swelled and stood up at the fastest speed. Her one little hand was simply not enough to grasp all of it.

“Two hands, Spouse, use two hands, hurry……”

Yun Shi Wei resented that his pants were in the way and simply pulled them down to his knees, grabbing her other hand to place on top of his member. He knew Yun Shi Yi was gazing at him with endless ridicule but the latter had restrained himself well and only the smiling corners of his mouth betrayed his expression.

Ruan Zhu’s left hand teased his two globes while her right hand gripped his solid rod, stroking it up and down. She sped up her movements, attentively relieving the pa.s.sion that he had endured for so long.

Yun Shi Wei’s eyes were red and he had difficulty gasping for air. His mouth and belly continuously moved up and down and hoa.r.s.e groans issued from his throat. In the midst of his torment came a pleasure that was hard to define as his member twitched in response to the fast up and down movements of the little hand. Unable to restrain himself, he stretched his dirty wolf claws into her lapel. Her soft peaks were immediately drowned in the ** that came over. His b.u.t.tocks twitching at high speed, he suddenly bellowed: “Spouse, faster……even faster……ah……” Body trembling, the boiling liquid that had been restrained these past few days inside his body finally spurted out.

Ruan Zhu crawled up from his body, both hands extremely sore and aching.

Yun Shi Yi picked her up into his lap. Picking up a towel, he considerately wiped her **-stained little hands clean before throwing the towel away. His fingers then gently kneaded the acupuncture points in her hands to unblock the blood vessels.

She sat on his lap like a little bird relying on people. Because of their earlier actions, her clothes had gotten dirty again and Yun Shi Yi good-temperedly fixed her appearance once more, finding a clean set of clothes from their parceled belongings for her to change into.

“Spouse, your appearance when you change clothes is really wonderful.” Yun Shi Wei had tidied himself up and lecherously stared at her, moving forward to take advantage of her body.

Ruan Zhu sat between them, feeling completely blissful. She must carefully cherish this life. The Heavens had given her another chance at life either out of pity or out of favor, so the things she had lost before or the things she never had, she would earn double that amount in this life. One should not live in the shadow of the past.

“Second Cousin, where did you go to come back all covered in dust?” Ruan Zhu was very curious. Recently, this guy left early and returned late all stinky. Could it be that he had transmigrated into the illegal Shanxi brickyards and was working there?[d]

Yun Shi Wei laughed twice heh heh, a trace of awkwardness found in his smile: “Women don’t need to ask too much about men’s matters. In brief, there is Second Brother to support you. I won’t let you starve.”

Ruan Zhu thought, These were words he could say to her?

Merely a secondary husband, what right did he have to fling her aside? Which one of her mother-in-law’s concubines were not obedient? If they committed the slightest mistake, they would go kneel in the courtyard. Fifth Father Zhao kneeled the entire morning because of the situation with Hai’er. Did Yun Shi Wei borrow this courage from the Heavens?

“You’re asking for a beating, aren’t you? Tonight, go sleep in your own courtyard.” Ruan Zhu picked up the folding fan on the side table and whacked it in the direction of his forehead.

“Spouse, don’t hit. I was wrong.” Yun Shi Wei immediately lowered his head as he begged for forgiveness.

Ruan Zhu put down the folding fan and turned her head towards Yun Shi Yi: “Eldest Cousin, do you know what he’s been doing?”

Yun Shi Yi cleared his throat. He glanced at his brother in ridicule before responding to Ruan Zhu: “He goes to the docks every day to haul cargo. Saying he wants to raise you and buy you some jewelry.”

“Haul cargo?” Ruan Zhu stared at Yun Shi Wei as if she was staring at a rare animal. Hauling sacks was something a rich second generation ought to do? Which rich family’s son would go become a dock worker? She had seen “Golden Faith” in her past life where a just-graduated college student was fishing in the toilets and had been bragged by Zhu Jun into being a spiritual model. Very quickly, this matter had been majorly criticized on the Internet. In the spiritual culture, it was possible to fish out thirteen incense sticks from a toilet?[e]

Yun Shi Wei, were you doing this?

She snorted. In any case, he was still a child that came from a large clan. Although he wasn’t very well-read but he was awfully brilliant at martial arts. His parents and older brother were all rich and powerful people, and their method of doing business meant they could casually take an idea and run with it.

Well, okay, she didn’t want to discriminate against dock workers. There was no distinction between high and low statuses in revolutionary work, only that the division of labor was not the same. Being a dock worker was also fine, fishing out of toilets was whatever, as all of it was to ‘Serve the People!’[f]

Fortunately, he hadn’t gone fishing in a toilet! Ruan Zhu lamented. Otherwise, she would have kicked him away and never let him back on her bed.

Yun Shi Wei flew into a rage out of humiliation: “I didn’t haul sacks today, I carried stones.”

Yun Shi Yi gave a puchi of laughter. Ruan Zhu didn’t want to care about that one anymore and remained in Yun Shi Yi’s embrace, but smiled so that her eyes became crescents.

………………

The three married people continued chatting until they arrived home, which just so happened to be time for the lanterns to be lighted.

Heating a large vat of water, the three of them went to wash their exhaustion away. During this time, Yun Shi Wei was very obedient–perhaps because he had been satisfied in the carriage–and did not hara.s.s Ruan Zhu.

Ruan Zhu did not fulfill her promise to the end. After Yun Shi Wei fell fast asleep, she crawled out of his blankets and squeezed inside Yun Shi Yi’s quilt. Leaning on his warm chest, she contently entered the land of dreams.

But Yun Shi Yi couldn’t sleep. There was only one more day before he had to leave. How should he break it to her? This time, his absence would be rather long. An impulse rushed out of his heart–forget it, he’ll just let that money be squandered! Immediately, he became ashamed of his thoughts. This family needed him to support it and in the future, his child would also rely on this coin to properly live. He had to focus on making money for the expansion of their household.

[a] 心旷神怡, idiom meaning carefree and relaxed

[b] 湘妃竹, famous Chinese ornamental bamboo that has characteristic purple-brown spots (Image)

[c] 狮子林 Lion’s Grove Garden, located in Suzhou, Jiangsu; famous for its large labyrinthe of taihu stones that resemble lions (Wikipedia; Virtual Tour with Pictures) | 个园 Geyuan Garden, located in Yangzhou, Jiangsu; famous for its seasonal rock gardens (Wikipedia) | 拙政园 Humble Administrator’s Garden, located in Suzhou, Jiangsu; largest garden in Suzhou that focuses on water (Wikipedia; Virtual Tour with Pictures) | 环秀山庄 Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty, located in Suzhou, Jiangsu; small, linear garden with three main elements–a grotto, a pool, and a main hall (Wikipedia; Virtual Tour with Pictures)

[d] Reference to the 2007 illegal brickyard slave scandal that occurred in Shanxi, China. (Wikipedia)

[e] 流金岁月, Golden Faith, a Hong Kong film about money laundering and a selfless hero (Wikipedia); Zhu Jun is a famous Chinese Host (Wikipedia). I had the hardest time translating this part because I’ve never seen the movie nor do I know of Zhu Jun, so if anything’s wrong, feel free to let me know and I’ll correct it.

[f] 为人民服务, CCP (Chinese Communist Party) slogan and unofficial motto of China; comes from a Mao Zedong speech (Wikipedia)