Chapter 74
75. We meet again (part 3)
Lian Fang Zhou answered, “It’s distantly related relative. His home was attacked by natural disasters, so he’s temporarily staying at our home!”
“Oh.” Fang Qing uttered as she understandingly nodded. Then directed Li ma, “Then arranged it together! Tonight call him to come over to have dinner together!”
Lian Fang Zhou initially didn’t want to come. But the thought that it would be ungracious not to accept a kind offer, she then courteously smiled as she agreed.
At the side, Li ma had already answered to her orders.
Fang Qing suggested, “You must be tired after traveling for half a day, how about go rest a bit now? When it’s time for dinner, I’ll then send someone down to bring you over?”
Lian Fang Zhou saw that Su Jing He and Cui Shao Xi was still here and as she and her brother have nothing to talk about with them and also it wasn’t convenient to speak with Fang Qing, she decided to follow along and dipped her head in response. She excused herself and trailed after Li ma.
All along, Cui Shao Xi had been sporting a sunken face as he sat there. Even until Lian Fang Zhou and the others left, he still remained quiet.
Lian Fang Zhou acted like she didn’t see–This initially was no concern of her at all.
“I say Min Zhi, your face is so black that you could squeeze ink out. What’s wrong? You’re still vexed by a little lass!” After they left, Fang Qing snickered.
Before Su Jing He married, he was a guy who eat, drink and be merry. A silk trouser who done cockfighting and gone through doing all manners of evil. After getting married, Fang Qing had wholly fixed him til he’s docile. He now echoed whatever she says. At her words, he sniggered and piped in, “Qing er, you don’t say. Min Zhi’s face is really black! I have never seen it like this before! Haha, Your cousin is quite entertaining! However, from I see, Min Zhi doesn’t look like he is irked. More like – En, how should I explain? Min Zhi have you fallen in love with the girl?”
“What nonsense are you saying!” Fang Qing’s face changed and sharply glared at Su Jing He.
Su Jing He regretted his slip of a tongue, coughed as apologetically smiled, “Was joking! Joking!”
Cui Shao Xi understood what this couple meant, grumpily harrumphed, ” How could I possibly be annoyed with a little lass! It’s just that little lass is really detestable!”
Su Jing He guffawed, “I’m her cousin-in-law, so it’s no big deal that I call her little lass. But you have no relations with her stranger, it does not follow propriety!”
“Alright! Speak less!” Fang Qing smilingly complained. To Cui Shao Xi, she said, “Anyhow, what our master said is also the truth! From one look, one can tell my cousin is daring. Better to not sprout nonsense, and save being pricked by her. Otherwise, it’ll be called embarrassing!”
“If she wants to prick you, don’t forget to call me to watch! These kinds of shows are rare sights!” Su Jing He added oil to the fire.
Cui Shao Xi didn’t know whether to cry or laugh and mocked, “Cousin-in-law, look at cousin! He’s already a dad of two and still have no scruples. Cousin-in-law, you should increase the discipline!”
At this, Su Jing He rested one and on Fang Qing’s shoulder to hug her, shot a grin at Cui Shao Xi as he stated, “You little brat got a stomach full of bad water (being guile), stop with the driving a wedge here! Fang Qing is my wife. If she doesn’t discipline me, then who? I’m happy to and willing to. What can you do!”
Cui Shao Xi rebuked back without any thoughts, “That cause you’re a masoc–” ( in Chinese, it said being cheap, but ‘masochist’ seem to suit more.)
Sensing this word couldn’t be said, he instantly cut short his word. Yet both Su Jing He and Fang Qing already heard it. Su Jing He didn’t really care, but Fang Qing was a different story. Although she smiled at Cui Shao Xi, her eyes weren’t.
Cui Shao Xi whacked his head as he bitterly smiled, and said, “Ok! Today I got a flimsy mouth, no matter what I say, it is wrong! How about this I’ll host tonight? How does eating out sounds? Treat it as me apologizing to each and every one of you!”
Su Jing He and Fang Qing exchanged a glance. As if Su Jing He purposely did it to vex him, he warbled, “I’ll listen to Qing er!”
Fang Qing beamed, “That’s more like it! There’s no point going to our own restaurant, so you choose a good spot! If it was the slightest bit worst, then I won’t be appreciative!”
“That going without saying!” Cui Shao Xi grinned but when he was about to name a restaurant, a delicate trill of ‘Cousin! Cousin, are you here?’ could be heard from outside. Immediately he shot up like his butt was on fire, left with ‘Don’t tell her I was here’ and dashed out the back door like a streak of smoke.
When Su Jing He and Fang Qing could react, Cui Shao Xi had already disappeared.
The couple helplessly looked at each other. This circumstance could happen anytime as long as Cui Shao Xi came over to Su Manor. They became used to it.
“Brother! Sister-in-law!” Su Xin er has already hurried in with eyes wandering everywhere. She asked, “Where cousin? Isn’t he here?”
“Look at you! As a girl, you’re always in a hurry, not one bit like a lady!” Su Jing He didn’t answer her, instead held an air of a brother with a strict as he reprimanded.
Su Xin er is around Lian Fang Zhou’s age with an egg-shaped face, autumn water* eyes, and brows like art. It’s a sweet and delicate facial feature. She’s a pretty girl who was spoiled from when she was young.
“I’m at my own home! Brother, you’re so noisy. Is cousin here or not? The little maid said you and cousin came back together!” How could Su Xin er actually bother with her brother’s expression?
Su Jing He felt powerless, and could only reply, “Can you not see for yourself? He’s not here! After returning to the manor, we split up!”
“Oh,” Su Xin er uttered and started a monologue, “Then where could he go? He neither in his yard nor at the study room. Could it be he strolling in the garden?” The little girl’s eye lit up. With a smile, she declared, “Brother, Sister-in-law! I’m leaving!”
She spoke as she left like the wind.
“Really those two people! What should I say!” Su Jing He couldn’t help sighed out.
Fang Qing also lightly let out a breath and expressed, “Logically, there are some words I shouldn’t say, but if this keeps going like this, it won’t do any good for Xin er. Sooner or later, it’ll harm her! When are you going to mention it to your parents and find a marriage for Xin er while it’s early! Don’t say I said it!”
If something spread out in ill-intention, like she as a sister-in-law couldn’t tolerate her husband’s sister and wished her to marry out quickly, then it won’t be anything good to hear.
Su Jing He feebly pointed out, “That lass’s eyes only have Min Zhi and won’t look at anyone else! And on top of that, Father and Mother dotes her dearly and couldn’t bear to go against her! Also at his side, Min Zhi also receives the same spoiling, and his parents couldn’t go against his wish. Min Zhi just doesn’t have her in his heart– what do you call this! Leave them be, I couldn’t be bothered to deal with it!”
After a few thoughts, he added, “You also shouldn’t concern yourself with it!”
Fang Qing rolled her eyes at him, asserted, “I naturally wouldn’t, and it’s also not up to me to. A waste of words!”
At once, Su Jing He brightened up, gathered closer to Fang Qing and ambiguously nattered, “Say, could it be that Min Zhi has fallen for our cousin (Fang Zhou)? I believe Min Zhi treat her differently from others!”
“Don’t randomly sprout your mouth!” Fang Qing rushed to voice out. “If your words were heard by Xin er, even a tiny bit, it’ll ruin Fang Zhou! My Aunt and Uncle-in-law have passed. As the eldest, she still got two little brothers and one little sister under her as well as no help from anyone, her life is already pitiful enough! With Xin er’s behavior, how could you not know?”
“Her family circumstance is that tragic!” Su Jing He was surprised and quickly affirmed, “Just keep this talk between us. I’ll be foolish if I say it outside! However, I’m pretty puzzled, she and Min Zhi, how did they meet? Later on, I’ll ask Min Zhi! Haha!”