Chapter 121: Sad

Not long after, Kang He and Fan Jing held a banquet and invited Yao Yuan for a meal.

Someone had helped them out, so they wanted to express their thanks. Regardless of whether the marriage went through or not, if they met in the city, they would still be on good terms.

Yao Yuan, hearing that he was invited by the Fan family, felt both pleased and a bit nervous.

He had long heard that Fan’s eldest brother and his husband were not ordinary people. This time, while thanking them openly, wouldn’t they secretly be testing him?

Yao Yuan jumped up and rummaged through his belongings, fussing over his appearance.

He stuck his rear up in front of the bronze mirror and fussed for a while, until he looked reasonably presentable.

Only then did he bring his gift and head over to the Fan residence.

The Fan family greeted Yao Yuan politely and ushered him inside.

“We originally planned to order a table of good wine and dishes from an outside restaurant, but since Brother Yao is a native of the county, you must have tried all the local food on every street and alley.”

“After some thought, we decided to prepare a table of home-style dishes to express our gratitude. It just so happens that the countryside sent over a cartload of fresh melons and vegetables yesterday.”

Qiao’er chimed in, “My brother-in-law’s cooking skills are excellent; he rarely even needs to use the stove.”

Hearing this, Yao Yuan felt flattered and said, “Brother Kang is so meticulous and considerate. Today, I truly have the blessing to taste your culinary skills.”

Kang He smiled and invited Yao Yuan to sit.

He and Fan Jing accompanied the guest for a while, and by then the dishes were ready, having just been cooked in the kitchen.

They prepared a few of Kang He’s specialty meat dishes that he often made back home, while the side dishes were taken care of by Aunt Hua.

At noon, Kang He, Fan Jing, and Yao Yuan ate together in the hall.

Qiao’er, feeling it inappropriate to sit at the same table, took Xiao Fu to eat in the courtyard.

Seeing the table full of dishes, Yao Yuan noticed that they didn’t bother with fancy plating.

Dishes like roast duck and rabbit meat truly had a home-cooked feel, and the aroma was inviting.

He thought of his father and mother—stalwarts who kept the family business afloat.

But they were only human, not superhuman.

Sometimes at mealtime, when the smell of other families’ cooking wafted in from the alley, it made him yearn uneasily.

But honestly, the flavors made by their own cook were no worse.

It was just that family gatherings like these, sharing meat and vegetables, were few and far between.

He couldn’t help but envy them.

After traveling and eating all kinds of food, he seldom got to taste such simple home cooking.

Yao Yuan thought that Brother Kang was truly a thoughtful man—no wonder his business was thriving, praised by many.

But on the other hand, the Fan family’s sons-in-law were a bit too impressive.

He knew the second son-in-law, Luo’s scholarly husband, was talented and knowledgeable.

As for this eldest son-in-law who married into the family, he not only knew how to handle business well but also had a son who had passed the county-level examination and even knew how to prepare medicinal broths!

Before being interrogated, Yao Yuan couldn’t help but feel nervous and sweat on his back.

He glanced at the two jars of wine brought in by the servants and scratched his face.

“Here they come. Looks like they’re waiting for me here!”

Yao Yuan’s eyes flicked around.

He was confident in his drinking capacity.

He planned to drink just enough to appear tipsy, so that if anyone asked anything, he could still respond clearly and appropriately.

If he got truly drunk and confused, though he had no shady dealings or kept mistresses, he carried a certain outlaw spirit.

If he didn’t restrain himself, he was bound to show it.

Compared to the two gentlemen here, he was no match.

If he made a scene with drunken antics, it would only make things worse.

“Brother Yao, some light wine and simple dishes—please don’t disdain our automatic chopsticks.”

“Brother Kang’s cooking is excellent; I’ll be too busy stuffing food into my mouth to talk. I’m a bit rough around the edges, so please don’t mind.”

“Not at all. Brother Yao’s generosity and boldness make everyone feel at ease.”

Fan Jing, hearing the two exchanging praises, removed the jar lid and poured wine for Yao Yuan, urging him to eat.

Yao Yuan smiled and responded, his expression still courteous.

He was honest—he wasn’t afraid of Kang He, but he did find the elder Fan brother a little intimidating.

He wasn’t much of a talker, always wearing a calm expression.

It was hard to tell if he was pleased or displeased, making him difficult to read.

Qiao’er, hiding in the shadows of the garden, watched Yao Yuan eat.

She saw him finish the bowl of wine poured by the elder brother and, without anyone urging him, he obediently poured himself another bowl and drank it all.

He truly looked like a simpleton.

“Little Aunt, if you want to taste the meat Father cooked, just come inside and eat. Why are you sneaking here to watch?”

“I’m just looking, to see if the water’s flowing.”

Suddenly, Qiao’er spotted a small creature near the locust pupae and was startled.

She grabbed Xiao Fu and covered his mouth.

“My little ancestor, don’t scare me.

I’m here watching them enjoy their meal.

Who else would be as greedy as you?”

Xiao Fu pouted. “But I want to watch too.”

“That’s fine, but don’t make a sound or they’ll notice and laugh at us.”

Xiao Fu grinned and nodded, then crouched behind the rock in the garden, quietly peeking.

Kang He and Fan Jing drank a few cups and then stopped.

They didn’t push Yao Yuan to drink to drunkenness and kept the atmosphere lively with stories of escorting caravans.

After a while, Yao Yuan lingered at the Fan home before taking his leave.

Back at the Zheng Fan family’s place, they had been anxiously waiting for a long time.

When they saw their son come into the shop, they dropped their work.

Yao Yuan was never one to be overly polite.

Brother Kang was very considerate, and the whole household got along well.

“It’s strange.

I expected those two to urge me to drink and ask questions today, but they didn’t even bother, nor did they pry into my personal affairs.”

Yao Yuan felt uneasy inside.

“Maybe they didn’t take a liking to me, so they just didn’t bother asking.

Mother doesn’t know that the Fan family’s eldest and second sons-in-law are both so impressive.

Coming here, I really feel like I fall short.”

Zheng Xiaolan saw her son’s suspicious and anxious demeanor and couldn’t help but laugh.

She couldn’t resist teasing him.

“Since when did you think so highly of yourself?

Now that you’re at the age to discuss marriage, you compare yourself to other sons-in-law and feel inferior?”

“Don’t joke about this now; I’m serious!”

Seeing her son flushed and agitated, Zheng Xiaolan stopped teasing and became serious.

“There’s no need to say more.

The Fan family is well-mannered and respectable.

They thanked you, didn’t force you to drink to the point you couldn’t stand, and the table held no mention of the marriage falling through.

It’s all good.”

“I wish you’d say it like that, Mother.”

At the Fan household, Qiao’er also asked Kang He and Fan Jing, “Why didn’t you take this chance to get him drunk and ask some questions?”

“Foolish girl, drinking too much harms the body.

If we really got him drunk, would you be willing?”

Kang He laughed.

“We invited him because Brother Fan and I wanted to thank him, and naturally, to see what kind of person he is.

But getting him drunk to interrogate him would be too lowly.

His drinking capacity seems decent; Brother Fan and I probably can’t even get him truly drunk.

Besides, if he’s even slightly drunk, he could pretend more easily and fool us to tears.”

“I’ll listen carefully to his words with Brother Fan and judge what kind of person he is.

There’s no need to rely on drunken confessions.”

Kang He said, “He talks a lot, and with talk comes mistakes.

But from what I heard today, although he has minor flaws, he’s basically an upright young man.”

Fan Jing agreed.

Qiao’er felt this made sense.

Seeing that Brother Fan and Brother Kang didn’t think badly of that simpleton, she felt more at ease and couldn’t help but feel a little happy.

After that, they invited Yao Yuan to two more meals.

They also sent people to quietly inquire about him, and everything was fine.

Only then did Chen Sanfang and Master Fan learn of this, both greatly pleased.

Listening to Kang He’s detailed explanation, Chen Sanfang was quite satisfied with Yao family’s background.

But while she was happy, she was also worried.

“This young man from the Yao family has a good background and is decent himself.

I quite like him.

But he’s an escort guard; he can’t often be at home, and I’m afraid he’ll have trouble taking care of the family.”

Kang He said, “There are two sides to everything.

Yao is talented, so naturally, he must travel often.

If someone has to stay home all year, they’re bound to be mediocre.

There’s no such thing as perfect in this world; there must be pros and cons.”

Chen Sanfang nodded in agreement.

She knew that a match like Yao’s was already rare.

That night, she slept in Qiao’er’s courtyard.

Mother and daughter talked for half the night.

Chen Sanfang understood Qiao’er’s thoughts and made up her mind.

Both families were pleased with the match.

Once the engagement was settled, things moved quickly.

In the hot and bustling seventh month, with cicadas chirping, the Yao family sent matchmakers carrying several large boxes of gifts to propose.

It was lively and harmonious.

The wedding date was set for the winter month.

Both were of marriageable age, so the date wasn’t set too far off.

With Qiao’er’s marriage settled, the family began preparing her dowry.

Although they had been selecting and purchasing large household items earlier, there were still many smaller details.

The family had two daughters.

Zhen’er was married first, so Qiao’er’s dowry had to be at least equal to her elder sister’s, to avoid favoritism.

The Yao family’s betrothal gifts were also added to Qiao’er’s personal property.

The household was filled with joyous occasions, giving everyone a rosy glow.

Since Qiao’er’s engagement, she no longer went out much, spending most of her time doing needlework.

The family suggested she could have the bridal clothes made at the fabric shop, but she rarely had the patience and wanted to make her own wedding dress.

Even Zhen’er teased her, saying that having found the right man, she had begun to enjoy needlework, which she previously disliked.

Qiao’er felt that the stitching made everything more real.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime event, so she cherished it all the more.

Xiao Fu, finding the weather too hot, no longer ran around like in spring and autumn.

After just a little activity, he’d sweat all over and need to be bathed and have his hair washed—a lot of trouble.

He decided to keep Qiao’er company in the courtyard instead.

They spread two mats on the floor and played with toys while lying down, which was much cooler.

“Will Little Aunt live with her husband after marrying?”

“When a girl marries, she naturally lives with her husband’s family.

No eldest daughter stays at home forever.”

Xiao Fu said, “Little Dad is Elder Brother’s father, yet he still lives at home with Grandfather and Grandmother, right?”

Qiao’er smiled, “Do you think anyone would be as willing as your father to live with Elder Brother’s family?

Such people are hard to find.

If your Little Uncle were willing to live here, I wouldn’t want to leave home.”

“Why wouldn’t he want to come?

When Little Aunt marries into Little Uncle’s family, I’ll miss you.”

Qiao’er patted Xiao Fu’s head.

“Little Aunt will miss you too, but you don’t have to worry.

Little Uncle’s home isn’t far from ours.

From now on, it will be easier for you to play.

Just think of it as having another place to play.”

“That’s good.

I like Little Uncle.

He said he wants to teach me to ride a horse.

I can already sit on a horse alone.

I wish I could ride every day.”

Qiao’er pinched Xiao Fu’s cheek.

“You just think about riding horses.”

“I don’t.

These days, Elder Brother doesn’t eat melons or drink cold bean soup.

He doesn’t say a word, just locks himself in the courtyard to read, and won’t answer when called.”

Xiao Fu pouted.

“Looks like a big blockhead.

If he gets heatstroke, then he’ll be a wilting big blockhead.”

He not only worried about riding horses but also hoped Elder Brother wouldn’t become a bookish fool.

He wanted to teach Fifteenth Brother to come play with him so he could stop Elder Brother from always reading.

That day, Kang He and Fan Jing went to the countryside and heard that land was for sale in Huimiao Village.

The two went to take a look.

It was true.

The fields were still planted with crops, and they said the owner planned to sell only after harvesting the autumn crops.

They had sent out the news beforehand.

Seeing a patch of connected land of about five or six acres, Kang He and Fan Jing decided it wasn’t bad.

They negotiated the price, paid the deposit, and reserved it in advance.

Over the years, Kang He and Fan Jing had been looking for land to buy.

They already owned quite a bit.

Besides the thirty-plus acres in their own village, they had another twenty or so scattered elsewhere.

Kang He hoped to save up to a hundred acres someday, which would bring peace of mind.

On the way back, sweating profusely, Kang He patted Fan Jing’s back, who was equally drenched.

He said, “This summer’s heat is fiercer than usual; ice sells even more expensively outside.”

Fan Jing replied, “I don’t find it that hot.

It’s just that Da Fu is buried in his books; I’m worried he might get heatstroke.”

Speaking of Da Fu, Kang He couldn’t help but feel some worry.

The boy was diligent, reading widely and improving quickly.

Recently, when dining at the Luo family’s place, Luo Chuanyi told Kang He that Da Fu had a good mind.

Earlier, when questioned on some knowledge, Da Fu nearly couldn’t explain well.

Luo said it was better not to tell the boy nonsense and mislead him, or it might embarrass his elder uncle.

Kang He knew Luo was joking, but his praise for Da Fu was no lie.

Lately, he had seen Da Fu often sitting quietly in the courtyard, deeply absorbed in reading, furrowing his brow as if struggling to solve a problem.

A Wang also said that Da Fu ate less at noon these days, claiming he couldn’t handle the heat.

He might be troubled by his studies, which made him lose appetite.

In summer, body heat can be relieved by well water, but if the mind is depressed, it’s easier to get sick.

Summer illnesses are hard to cure and more serious than winter ailments, so taking care of health is vital.

Seeing this, Kang He thought it best to find a teacher with higher knowledge for Da Fu to answer his doubts.

But he was helpless.

He hadn’t read much himself, and neither had Fan Jing.

Their family had few relatives with scholarly backgrounds.

It was a mix of joy and worry.

They could give no help with the imperial examinations—not a hint of guidance or advice.

It was frustrating.

No wonder it was said that scholarly families were more likely to produce talented sons.

The learning environment, family heritage—it all counted.

But for farming families, producing a good student was no easy task.

The two thought about this as their carriage traveled through the alley.

Kang He stopped the mule cart and saw a horse-drawn carriage ahead, slowly pulling into a courtyard.

He looked up at the neighboring Wu family’s residence and furrowed his brows slightly.

Since moving to Chaoxi Alley with Fan Jing, it hadn’t taken long for him to learn some of the Wu family’s background.

That snowy year, he and Da Jing had slaughtered a pig in the countryside and accidentally caught a kidnapper.

The authorities traced the gang and arrested them all, rescuing several kidnapped children.

One of the families sent silver to thank them—it was the Wu family.

Back then, Brother Bao had said that this Wu family lived in the western city and was a respected household.

The current head was a juren scholar.

When Kang He first saw their surname was Wu, he recalled that old incident and was somewhat curious.

Later, after some inquiry, he learned the Wu family’s head was indeed a juren scholar, now an official teaching at the county school.

After learning this, Kang He only kept the matter in his heart and never leveraged that old connection to build closer ties.

He only sent a small housewarming gift as a neighbor.

The Wu family was originally prestigious, and now they were official households.

When the youngest son went missing, Kang He and Fan Jing had accidentally helped.

But if they made a big deal out of it, it might cause resentment.

The Wu family’s lost son was growing up, and revisiting the old matter in front of the boy would be inappropriate.

They had already expressed their gratitude.

Therefore, Kang He and Fan Jing never troubled the Wu family again.

Still, seeing Da Fu’s situation, Kang He selfishly hoped to get some guidance from Teacher Wu.

That would surely clear up Da Fu’s confusion and ease his struggles.

But he felt at a loss and didn’t know where to start.

“Let’s just watch and wait for now.

If it doesn’t work, we’ll have to shamelessly pay a visit.”

Fan Jing said, “Just ask about things unrelated to Da Fu.

If it doesn’t work out, we’ll look elsewhere.”

Kang He agreed.

He realized he overthought things and was hesitant, unlike Fan Jing, who was straightforward.

“Do as you say.”