Chapter 171: Never Rest Until Death

Drinking for three days, he lowered himself into wine and lust.

Du Shanü specially chose a liquor called Green Ants to make drinking easier.

This liquor is famous for the many bubbles on the fermented mash, resembling ants gathering to nibble.

Such liquor is most harmful to the body and also most damaging to the spirit, having nothing at all to do with the words 'good liquor'.

After drinking, headaches and body aches are commonplace.

But this breath, only this breath.

After hearing Chinu say this answer, the pain that had long accumulated in Du Shanü's mind vanished entirely along with the warm smoke behind her ear.

Du Shanü answered, not bothering about what was behind her, she simply lowered her gaze and stared at her own tangled fingers.

Chinu's voice was very soft, like murmuring in a dream, mixed with a little satisfaction after a beautiful dream:

"...... At that time, we'll just lie down at Afang's house; no matter how he drives us away, we won't leave; no matter how he urges us to work, we won't move, just letting him support us."

"I also know where he likes to put his silver money; I'll steal his silver and take you to eat delicious snacks."

Du Shanü's fingertips were being probed bit by bit, entwined.

Du Shanü didn't know how to answer, but the next instant, she heard her voice speak a step faster than her thoughts:

"What if we spend all his silver money?"

"If we don't work, can we just live off his savings?"

Upon saying that, Du Shanü realized her voice had become hoarse to the point of being deadly.

But Chinu didn't mind; he seemed to have been waiting for those words, answering without hesitation, even somewhat righteously:

"Perhaps Wife Master won't believe this, but he is after all a renowned scholar... leaving aside good or bad reputation, the two words 'scholar' are themselves quite valuable!"

"While we stay at home in leisure, Afang goes out to find a way!"

"Besides, at his age, it's exactly the time to venture out."

Du Shanü really imagined Afang, over forty, still venturing out, and couldn't help but laugh out loud:

"...... Good thing Afang isn't here, otherwise he'd surely say we have no heart."

Afang occasionally has some schemes, but he indeed does not follow the proper path.

But he still turns out to be a respectable person!

Such a respectable person, upon meeting the two of them, would probably be angered to half-death every day.

Chinu does not believe:

"He just mutters to himself, but in his heart he's actually delighted that someone can rely on him."

Moreover, Afang's parents died early, and he rarely receives familial warmth, so he also greatly craves this feeling.

In their interactions, Afang always looks after him more, largely for this reason.

If they really went to rely on Afang, he would probably complain constantly with his mouth, yet selflessly go out and think of every way to earn enough silver for their future leisure.

"Everyone says Afang has a bad disposition, but I have always thought he is extremely good."

Chinu murmured, rubbing Du Shanü's hand back inch by inch:

"Moreover, even if Afang can't earn anything, it doesn't matter."

"We are literate; in the future, we can simply change locations and write letters for others, also earning some silver."

"Whether we earn much or little, whether ten wen a day or twenty wen..."

He carefully wipes each coin clean, collects them, and saves them for Wife Master.

If Wife Master spends and eats them, that shows Wife Master has a good appetite, something to praise!

If Wife Master saves the money, that shows Wife Master knows how to manage a household, also something to praise!

In short, no matter what, Wife Master is certainly the most praiseworthy.

After he works a bit harder and earns for a few more years, the three of them should be able to save enough to buy one mu of good farmland.

He had thought about this problem long ago——

These days, if one mu of good farmland is planted only with rice, a family certainly cannot make a living.

However, he can think of ways to obtain some seeds to plant peanuts, rapeseed, and castor beans.

These are all good things that can be exchanged for money; after a year's harvest, they can be traded for even more rice.

One year, two years, three years...

Days will only get better and better.

As time goes on, they might even be able to raise several children.

What belongs solely to her, what belongs solely to him, what belongs solely to... theirs.

No need to worry about prophecies; whether one or seven, they are theirs.

No need to exhaust oneself with scheming, no need to engage in mutual suspicion, no need to spend a lifetime consumed by jealousy...

Everything, just as he had thought when he left the Orphanage that year.

To outsiders, all this may not be particularly rare.

But for him, only six years old, that was the best solution he could rack his brains to devise.

Even to this day, when he recalls it, he is still willing to make one last effort for that idea.

After all, all of that is ordinary and beautiful to the point of breaking one's heart.

However, however...

A scalding tear dropped onto Du Shanü's shoulder.

Du Shanü felt a sting, closed her eyes, and no longer looked at their intertwined fingertips.

Chinu felt nothing at all, merely asking again:

"And Wife Master?"

No matter what, A Nu has always been willing.

But Wife Master, you're asking me like this—have you really decided?

She is—have you decided?

Or maybe it's just an avoidance born of sorrow...

Or perhaps it's merely teasing him, waiting for him to truly develop a retreat resolve, then selflessly go contend for the world for Yu Baobao's sake.

That breath, and again that breath.

Du Shanü finally managed to recall that, in her drunken frenzy, she had not failed to hear a faint answer.

Rather, she dared not hear that answer.

For someone as ambitious as Du Shanü, retiring into seclusion is destined to be rare.

Her nature is such that even if all her teeth were pulled out, she would implant iron teeth in her mouth to crush her enemies' necks.

However, now her hitherto indomitable heart has cracked a fissure, struggling to tell her——

As long as Chinu is there to die together......

Not regrettable.

All of it is not regrettable.

As long as Chinu is there, everything is not regrettable.

Wealth and power are good, but Chinu is also excellent.

To her former self, this is utterly unimaginable.

I'm done for.

Really, I'm done for.

But what can be done?

But what can she do?

Just seeing Chinu almost drives her mad.

She is willing to give rise to this thread of retreat intention for Chinu.

And what rationality can be spoken of by someone who's gone mad like that?

Perhaps, what promises, oaths......

All are false, empty.

And now......

Her heart tells her that even if she were to die at the next incense stick, she would still bring Chinu along.

She, she must bring Chinu.

This thought is the true one.

"Not just for Yu Baobao......"

Du Shanü opened her eyes again; lying prone, she could only reach back to feel the face leaning against her shoulder:

"Actually, it's even more for the sake of the world's people."

"I ask you, it's truly sincere. But now that you've left, those people of the world oppressed by foreign enemies and tyrannical policies truly have no salvation."

These are absolutely not what Du Shanü wants to see.

Chinu is her exception, but the suffering of the world's people admits no exception.

The weight on her back increased slightly, the entanglement grew tighter.

Du Shanü, somewhat helpless, cooed to her own Chinu in a mute voice:

"Good slave, let's die together."

"Even if we die tomorrow, die tonight, die in the next moment, die at the next incense stick, we... we must die together."

Chinu, ever the simpleton, bit hard where her tears had just fallen, then spoke in a muffled voice:

"...... Good."

His breath brushed over Du Shanü's nape; she watched as the hand entwined around her fingertips was withdrawn and then pressed against the edge of the bed at her waist.

"Creak, creak......"

The bedboards faintly emitted a few familiar weak protests; Du Shanü didn't know where her slave got the strength, was about to laugh, but in the next instant the bedboards beneath her seemed to emit 'fire energy':

"Crack! Crack——crack——"

Du Shanü staggered slightly, instinctively wanting to climb up:

"Oh no, is this bed going to break——!!!"

Originally unable to bear the weight, Du Shanü's attempt to rise seemed to grow a bit larger.

In the next instant, a crisp sound rang out, the wooden beam shattered, and the bed that should have been extremely sturdy suddenly collapsed:

"Boom——!!!"

The two, having no time to retreat, only managed to stiffen for a moment, then in the next instant fell onto the floor littered with bedboard fragments.

Their eyes met, and each saw the other's helplessness deep within.

Chinu: "(? `?? Д? ′)!!"

Du Shanü: "(? `?? Д? ′)!!"

Ah?

Ah???

How could these bedboards still collapse?!!!

This, how will we explain this to the shopkeeper later?!

No, we won't make them pay, will we?!

?? bed: "Sorry, I won't keep you company!"

? moneybag: "I'm so hungry...."

? Afang: "Who will come take care of me, the spoiled one in the corners......"

? 【Vote votes, haha babies o(╥﹏╥)o author is also going to starve to death!】