Chapter 748: Call Her Auntie [Thank You! Again! 36k Words Owed]
Shuowan ， Kangwangshizhuantouchaojinmamaxiaolexiao ：“ Meixiangdaohaiyouzhemeqiaodeshi ！ Zhiqiantingwenjingzhongyourenjiazaixunren ， Meixiangdaojingshiguifushang 。”
Jinmamalimaodixiaolexiao ， Meiduoshuoshenme 。
Tingtangzhongyeanjingleyihuier 。
Jinmamakanzhekangwangshiyanshenzhuandong ， Yuyanyouzhideyangzi ， Youxiangqilinlaikangjiaqianwudaniangzidezhutuo ， Bianxiaodao ：“ Daniangzi ， Buzhifushangdejinshaoyezuijinkeyouxian ？”
“ A ？” Kangwangshidengdaleyanjing 。
Fangcaitameishuohua ， Jiushizaixiangzijideqinerzikangjin 。
Qunian ， Kangwangshidichudeguniangkangyuaner ， Zaichengguogongfushangchuangletatiandahuo ， Bujinlianleikanghaifengqifudeshiqingpaotang ， Gengrangkangjinzaibianjingzhizhongmeilepengyou 。
Bijingnarijingzhongtaibangaomendahudenvjuanqulefengjia ， Shoudaoleqihuofengmadejingxia ， Bumianqiannudaokangjinshenshang 。
Kangjinxingzilaoshi ， Bushigechangxiushanwude ， Bierenkeyizhixia ， Zaiwaimianchuchushoudaolengluoqifu 。
Youshikangjinxianghuaqianqingke ， Biejiadegongzidoubuleyijieshou ， Zhexierizilianshangjiumeiduoshaoxiaoyi 。
Dangran ， Yeyouzhaokangjinwanerde 。
Kekangjinshilaoshibushisha ， Zhidaonaxierenzhaota ， Shibatadanghuaqiandeyuandatou ， Ziranyeshibuqude 。
Kangwangshijiuzhemeyigejinguidedichuerzi ， Keshixintenghuaile ！
Dantayigeneizhaifuren ， Duiwaiyuannanzideshiqinglibucongxin ， Napaquzhaozijishengjiaqinqi ， Keshengjiadezidiriridushu ， Genbenmeishijianpeitaerzi 。
Jinmamazhemeyikaikouxunwen ， Shaoxiangyixiajiuzhidaoshitiliangjialiulangwende 。
Zhejiushikeshuileyourensongzhentou ， Tianlengleyourensongtan ， Zhenzhenshiwendaolekangwangshidexinkanshang 。
Kangwangshidexiaorongshunjianzhenchengmingmeilexuduo ， Xiaodao ：“ O ！ Jinmamashuowojiajingeer ？ Tazuijinzhajinleshuduili ， Worangtachuqufangsongyierdoushuoduoshaocile ！”
“ Mamaniyiwen ， Tabianshimeikong ， Woyederangtachouchukongxianlai ！”
Jinmamaxiaozheweiweigongshen ， Dao ：“ Jinshaoyedangzhenshihaoxue ！ Keyedelaoyijiehe 。”
Kangwangshigaoxingdishuailexiashoujuaner ：“ Shuoshuibushine ， Kejiushishuobuting ！”
Jinmamadiantoudao ：“ Mingriwojialiugongzizaichengwaiwuloubannuanluhui ， Keyitaolunshicipinchangmeishi 。 Shineiyouxiangpu 、 Shejian ， Wuwaihainengbingshangdiaoyu ， Jinshaoyeruoshidexian ， Huilefushangnubijiuqingwojiadaniangzixiatiezi 。”
Kangwangshixiaodejiuwodouchulaile ， Diantoudao ：“ Najiuyoulaojinmamale 。”
Piankehou ，
“ Daniangzi ， Suxiaonianglaile 。” Pufuzaipingfenghoutongchuandao 。
“ Renlaile ！” Kangwangshixiaozhezhanqishen 。
Kangzhaoershengmusuxiaoniang ， Shuangshoufangzaifuqian ， Chuishoucongpingfenghouzoulechulai 。
Kanzheshenqiandedimian ， Suxiaoniangfuleyili ：“ Nubijianguodaniangzi 。”
“ Taiqitoulai ， Rangguikekankanni ！” Kangwangshidao 。
Suxiaoniangyiyantaiqitouyikan ， Suijiyanzhongjiuyoulexiexujingyadeshense 。
Yuanyinwuta ， Naishiwangrixiongsheneshadekangwangshi ， Jinrixiaorongshifengaoxingzhencheng 。
Suxiaoniangrukangjiaduoshaonianle ， Haishidiyicijiankangwangshizheyang 。
“ Nubijianguoguike 。” Suxiaoniangyouchaojinmamayili 。
“ Xiaoniangduolile 。” Weidunhuilidejinmamashangxiasaoshilesuxiaoniangyiyan ， Kanzheqifusezhuangtai ， Xinzhongbianyijingyouleshu 。
“ Xiaoniangninkejidezhiqian ， Nincongchengwaizhuangzishanghuichengdeshihou ， Zailubianjiudenageshaonian ？” Jinmamawendao 。
Yifanjiaotan ，
Suxiaoniangdelianshangyeyoulejingyadeshense ， Xiaolexia ， Dao ：“ Renmeishijiuhao ， Jiuhao 。”
Jinmamadianleyixiatou ， Zhuanshenzaishenhouzhuojishangtiqiyigeshihe ， Xiaodao ：“ Xiaoniang ， Zhidaoninjiulewojiaqinqi ， Zheshiguirendeyifanxinyi 。”
Shuohuadeshihou ， Jinmamashikanzhekangwangshide 。
Xinqingshenhaodekangwangshihuiyididianlediantou ， Tongsuxiaoniangshuodao ：“ Haibuganjinqujiezhe ！”
“ Shi ， Daniangzi 。”
Suxiaoniangyileng ， Ganmangshangqianshouyebucongkuanxiulishenchulai ， Jiuzhemezhijiejieguoleshihe 。
Suiranshoumeiyoushenchulailuzaiwaimian ， Danyanjiandejinmamahaishikandaolesuxiaoniangdeshoushangyoujikuaidongchuang 。
“ Zhelimianyoujikuaigaodian ， Shiwojiadaniangziteyifenfufangjinqude ， Shuoshilianglejiubuhaochile ， Suoyixiamianhaifanglegetanlu 。” Jinmamakanzhesuxiaoniang ， Xiaozheshuodao 。
Jieguoshihehou ， Ganjuefenliangyouxiebuduidesuxiaoniang ， Lianshangyoulehuangrandeshense ， Dishengdao ：“ Zhe ， Tanlujingui ， Nubigairuhehaihuiqu ？”
Jinmamaxiaolexiao 。
Yipangkangwangshiyetingchulejinmamahualideyisi ， Jiehuadao ：“ Zhejiububinicaoxinle ！ Jiranlianglejiubuhaochile ， Niyebiegufulewudaniangzidexinyi ， Ganjindaihuiqugeihaizimenchangchangba 。”
Jinmamaxiaozhelianliandiantou 。
“ Shi ， Daniangzi 。” Suxiaoniangfuleyilihou ， Raoguopingfeng ， Chaotangwaizouqu 。
Kangjiahouyuaner ，
Lizheermenbuyuandexiaoyuanzili ，
Mennei ，
“ Jie ， Xiaonianghuilaimei ？”
Wuneiyounantongdeshengyinchuanlai 。
“ Dengwokankan ！”
Kangzhaoerxiangwuzifangxianghanleshenghou ， Tanzhetouyanzhongmanshidanyoudichaowaikanleyiyan 。
Kanzhekongwuyirendeguodao ， Kangzhaoercuolecuoerduojiuxiangchoushenshuohua 。
Hude ，
Yigelinzheshihederenyingguaijinlekangzhaoerdeshixianzhong 。
“ Xiaoniang ！” Kangzhaoergubushangcuoerduo ， Ganmangkuaibupaolechulai 。
Laidaojinchu ，
Kangzhaoeryilianjingyadikanzhesuxiaoniangshoulideshihe ， Dao ：“ Xiaoniang ， Haoxianga ！ Limianshishenme ？”
Suxiaoniangxiaozheyaoleyaotou ：“ Shuoshidianxinguozi 。”
Henkuai ，
Jindaoyouxielengdewuzili 。
Kangzhaoerdedimeiliangrenzhengpazhesuozaibeizizhong ， Zhengzhedadadeyanjing ， Haoqidikanzhejinwudeliangren 。
Piankehou ，
Shihehaimeidakai ，
“ Wa ！ Xiaoniang ， Haoxianga ！” Chuangtashangdeliangxiaozhiliuzhekoushui ， Muguangdingzailebeilinjinwudeshiheshang 。
Liangrendedongzuoyecongpazhe ， Buzhibujuedibianchengleguizhe 。
Sancengshihebeidakai ， Xiangqiyufadenongyu 。
“ Xiaoniang ， Zhecengdegaodiankanzhehaoyanshua ！ Hewonacidaihuilaideyiyang ！” Kangzhaoeryanlekoukoushui ， Xianbaoshidishuodao 。
Suxiaoniangdao ：“ Shiyongchanghoufusonglaide ， Ziranheninacidechabuduo 。”
“ Yongchanghoufu ？” Chuangshangdeliangxiaozhi ， Gubushangkanshihe ， Jingyadishuodao 。
“ N 。” Shuozhe ， Suxiaoniangyoudakailedierceng 。
“ Zheshi ？” Wuzhongnongyudexiangqizhong ， Sirenmianmianxiangqudikanzheshihezhongburenshidedianxin 。
Suxiaoniangmanmanjiangdiercengshihenuodaoyipang ， Zuixiamiandexiaotanluzhujianlulechulai 。
Hude ，
Suxiaoniangmuguangyiningtingxialedongzuo ， Ranhouyouhuanhuandijiangshihediercengyansihefengdinuohuileyuanchu 。
“ Xiaoniang ？” Kangzhaoeryihuodao 。
“ Xiamianjiushihuolu ， Jiubudakaile ， Shengdetangzhetamenlia 。” Shuozhehuasuxiaoniangjiangdiercengdedianxinduanlechulai 。
Baliangcengdedianxinfangzaizhuoshang ， Suxiaoniangtiqishihe ， Dao ：“ Nimenxianchi 。”
Likaiwuzi ， Suxiaonianglaidaoleyuanwai 。
Tahuitoukanleyanzhengwuhou ， Youqingqingxiankaileshihedierceng ， Luchulefangzhexiaohuoludedisanceng 。
Yangshihenuanshoululeisidexiaohuolupang ， Zhengqidibaifangzheliukuaizhijiadaxiaodejinding 。
Chiyipiankehou ， Suxiaoniangshenshoujianglimiandejindingjianchulai ， Fangdaolezijiyixiuzhong 。
Gutingyechenghunyijingwuliutian 。
Zheriqingchen ，
Tanheilaidaoshengjiaxuetangdexuzaijing ， Kanzheyijiukongzhedegutingyezuowei ， Xiaozheyaoleyaotou 。
Shaozhedilongdexuetangzhong ，
Zuozaiqianmiandezhangbaidalegehaqianhou ， Jiuzhezhuguangfanleyixiashoulideshuben ， Touyebutaidishuodao ：“ Jinggeer ， Qiaozhedongzhiqian ， Yegeertashibuhuilaile 。”
“ Woqiaozheyeshi 。” Xuzaijingxiaodao 。
Shuozhehua ， Xuzaijingtuoledachang ， Ruwangrinabanzaizhuguangxiakaishiwenxigongke 。
Suizhemaoshiliangkejiangjin ， Qihenghezhangfengdengzhujianlaidaoxuetang 。
Taiyangshengqihou ， Tiansezhujiandaliang 。
Zhongwushifen ，
Zhuangxuejiuyijinglikailexuetang 。
Xuzaijingzhengheqihengzhangbaitaolunxuewendeshihou ， Yuanziwaizhuanlaileyizhenxiaosheng 。
Shilizaipangdebuwei ， Ganmangzoudaomenkouliaokailemianlian ， Chaowaikanleyanhou ， Jingyadao ：“ Guergongzi ， Nin ， Ninzenmeguolaile ？”
Xuzaijingdengrentingdaocihua ， Fenfenchaomenkoukanqu 。
Piankehou ，
Gu Tingye appeared with a smile, bowing his head as he passed through the cotton curtain and entered the classroom.
“Hah! Fellow classmates, long time no see!” Gu Tingye bowed and laughed.
“Second Uncle, you look truly delighted today.”
Gu Tingye raised an eyebrow at Qi Heng and said proudly, “Of course!”
Then he nodded toward Zai Zhang beside Chang Bai, in the manner of men greeting each other: “Brother Zhang!”
Zai Zhang smiled helplessly at this.
Chang Feng stood up happily and said, “Second Cousin Gu, why are you here at this hour today?”
Gu Tingye looked proudly at Xu Zaijing, adjusted his temple hair, and said, “Your sister-in-law heard that Old Lady Yu was coming to Jiyin Alley, so she urged me not to neglect my studies—so she sent her to the Sheng household, and I came along.”
“Oh!” Chang Feng nodded.
Watching Gu Tingye’s smug expression, Xu Zaijing smiled and said, “Second Lang , Old Lady Yu’s advice to study hard and guide you forward—truly the mark of a scholarly family’s daughter!”
“If not for her, when would you have shown up for class?”
Gu Tingye laughed, “Certainly not until after Winter Solstice. By the way, Jingge, I’m older than you—don’t keep calling her ‘Old Lady Yu.’ From now on, you must address her as Sister-in-Law.”
Xu Zaijing said nothing, only looked at Qi Heng and said, “Yuanruo, why don’t you go first?”
Qi Heng, caught in the middle, smiled helplessly: “Jingge, calling her ‘Auntie’ might make her sound ancient.”
Xu Zaijing shook his head and laughed, “Second Lang doesn’t care.”
“Who says that!” Gu Tingye laughed, glaring.
As the group laughed and chatted in the classroom,
in the back courtyard of the Sheng household,
in Shou’an Hall,
Old Lady Yu sat on a Luohan chair chatting with Old Lady Sheng.
“Yanran is already a Gu family daughter—why did you bring her to my home? Aren’t you afraid your daughter-in-law will gossip?” Old Lady Sheng said with a smile.
Old Lady Yu smiled helplessly, glancing at Yanran, who stood beside the hall, smiling as she made tea with Minglan, and said, “I intended to come alone, but Yanran sent me tonic this morning.”
“My old maid has a loose tongue—Yanran found out, and then she insisted her husband accompany me. I scolded her on the way, but she—”
Old Lady Sheng smiled, listening intently.
Old Lady Yu said, “But Yanran said she wanted to encourage her husband to attend the Sheng household’s school and not neglect his studies! What an excuse—it’s—”
Old Lady Sheng turned and exchanged a knowing laugh with Fang Mama beside her: “Flawless!”
Then Old Lady Sheng glanced at Yanran and leaned close to Old Lady Yu, whispering, “Are the ornaments on Yanran’s head and hands yours, or—?”
At this, Old Lady Yu’s lips couldn’t help but curl upward; she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and whispered, “I don’t own anything so fine! They were given by Yanran’s mother-in-law—she said there’s still a whole box left in the room. Your niece-granddaughter also sent plenty of good things.”
Old Lady Sheng nodded with a smile: “Pingmei is the eldest daughter-in-law—she’s obligated to do this.”
Old Lady Yu continued smiling, “I hope Yanran bears a son soon—then before my husband and I return to Xuzhou, one worry will be lifted.”
Old Lady Sheng whispered, “Then—did you do what I asked you?”
“I did! When your nephew delivered the betrothal gifts for my son-in-law, my maid accompanied Yanran and gave him a gold hairpin.”
“Not the one left by Yanran’s birth mother, is it?”
Old Lady Yu shook her head: “Yanran saved it herself from her shop profits.”
“Oh my, how long must she have saved for that!” Old Lady Sheng sighed.
“Not long—Yanran’s shops are doing quite well.”
As the two old ladies chatted,
beside them, Yanran wore her married woman’s hairstyle, her cheeks flushed as she glanced at Minglan and feigned annoyance, whispering, “Sixth sister, why do you keep staring at me? Make tea!”
Minglan smiled, lips pressed together: “Sister Yanran, your hairpin is beautiful, your earrings too—but—”
Seeing Yanran’s puzzled look, Minglan smiled: “But nothing compares to how radiant your face looks.”
At these words,
Yanran, busy making tea, trembled slightly; her blush deepened, and she shot Minglan a shy, scolding glance: “Sixth sister, if you keep this up, I won’t speak to you!”
“Oh!” Minglan laughed in reply.
Seeing Minglan’s expression, Yanran quickly changed the subject: “By the way—I heard her younger brother was found.”
“Qingcao’s younger brother? How do you know?” Minglan looked puzzled.
“I heard it from Second Master Gu—he said the boy came from their hometown and searched for days.” Yanran pursed her lips.
Minglan nodded: “Ah, no wonder Qingcao stopped smiling those days.”
“Then, Sister Yanran, will you come out for the Winter Solstice gambling games? When—”
Before Minglan finished, Yanran shook her head: “I’ll be staying by my mother-in-law and sister-in-law that day.”
“Alright.”
Seeing Minglan’s gloomy expression, Yanran said, “Minglan, have you seen your younger brother? Has he learned to read yet?”
At this topic, Minglan nodded proudly and smiled: “He can read—my little mother taught him herself.”
Afternoon
Yanran rode in a carriage to deliver her grandmother back to the Yu household, then returned directly to Xingguo Alley.
Gu Tingye attended his afternoon classes, then rode home on horseback after school.
Xu Zaijing and the others left the classroom courtyard,
walking and talking as they neared the stables,
when mounting their horses,
Xu Zaijing swung onto his mount with swift, graceful strength.
As Xu Zaijing sat astride his horse and glanced at Gu Tingye beside him, he noticed Gu Tingye, gripping the stirrup, wobble slightly as he pushed up.
“Hmph.”
The stifled laugh from Xu Zaijing seemed to spur Gu Tingye—he mounted his horse again, this time with clean, effortless ease.
Seeing Xu Zaijing and Qi Heng, who had just climbed into his carriage, raise their eyebrows, Gu Tingye growled, “Wu Lang, Yuanruo—don’t laugh. Wait till you have wives—I’ll see if your legs don’t go weak too!”
“Pfft! Second Lang , do you think I’d be like you? What nonsense!”
Xu Zaijing shook his head, lightly kicked his horse’s flank, and rode straight out the gate.
Inside the carriage, Qi Heng pulled back the curtain: “Second Uncle, I’m still young.”
Gu Tingye: “You two—”
Two days later,
Xu Zaijing returned to the Hou Fu as usual.
While changing clothes in his courtyard, Qingcao said, “Master, Lord Liang Liu sent word today—he’s completed the task you entrusted to him.”
“The Kang family’s young master now has much better relations with others since parting ways at Wu Lou.”
“He’ll surely remember the role that Su Xiao Niang played.”
Xu Zaijing nodded: “Mm, good. Add the six taels of gold you contributed, and his future will surely improve.”
Qingcao smiled and nodded.
(End of Chapter)
End of Chapter
