Chapter 133: Meeting
Su Yaoguang stood behind Zhou Wangshu, pinching his shoulders for him: “It’s like this… I went to find Chen Buyu, but he was unwilling to reveal Zi Zhan Young Master’s news. Help me out!”
Zhou Wangshu: “…Why do you have to find him? Could it be you like this sort of thing?”
“No, he got injured, and it was for me. If I don’t see him safe and sound, my heart just won’t be at ease!”
“Maybe he doesn’t want you to go see him!”
“As long as I confirm he’s fine, I definitely won’t disturb him afterward.” Su Yaoguang said, “Don’t worry, I really have no other intentions toward him. I just want to thank him and check on his injury.”
“What do I have to worry about? After all, I’m your younger brother.” Zhou Wangshu muttered.
“Younger brother, I’m leaving this matter to you.” Su Yaoguang tapped his shoulders, “Eat more. If you like it, I’ll make more next time.”
“Morally corrupt.” Xiao Yanci cursed.
Su Yaoguang heard his voice and turned back to see him standing together with a strange woman. She immediately got up and closed the window, blocking the view from outside.
“It’s rare for it not to rain today, yet I see such an unlucky thing. My mood’s gone bad.” Su Yaoguang said loudly.
“Young Master Xiao, your body is still very weak. You must rest well and absolutely cannot get angry.” That strange woman said gently.
“Thank you, Wen Dasao.” Xiao Yanci said, “Luckily with you taking care of me, I can get out of bed and walk around. You have such a kind heart, unlike certain people whose hearts are as hard as stone.”
“If Young Master Xiao hadn’t been willing to keep me, the teachers at the academy wouldn’t have given me this bite to eat.” Wen Dasao said, “Young Master Xiao is practically my benefactor who saved my life.”
Su Yaoguang leaned close to Zhou Wangshu: “I stayed in the kitchen all morning. What good show did I miss today?”
Zhou Wangshu said: “The refugees heard the academy was recruiting people to care for the sick and came forward to recommend themselves, including that woman. Originally the teacher didn’t want to keep her, but Xiao Ci pleaded for her, so she stayed. That woman is especially grateful to him. She spent one hour of the morning taking care of him, and the remaining hour delivering medicine and feeding it to the other scholars. She even wanted to come take care of me, but I refused.”
“The others are also taking medicine, so they should soon be able to control the illness. Then it won’t be so dangerous.”
“The illness is easy to control, but human hearts may not be. Look at how many in the city are locals now, and how many are refugees who fled the famine?” Zhou Wangshu said.
“You’re right. Once the illness is under control, we’ll go back home to stay. Once these matters are resolved, we’ll return to the academy to study. Right now, we can barely preserve our lives—what book is there to study?”
“That’s not right!” Su Yaoguang reacted, “Did you remember what I just said? Are you helping me or not?”
Zhou Wangshu lowered his gaze: “I’ll help, help you.”
She was so persistent that if she didn’t see this ‘Zi Zhan Young Master’ once, she probably wouldn’t give up. Better to let her see him directly than have her search around outside, so she could thoroughly lose interest.
Su Yaoguang smiled: “That’s more like it, good younger brother.”
Zhou Wangshu: “…”
“One day as brothers, a lifetime as brothers. Though we have no blood relation, with our bond, it’s even more reliable than blood relations.” Su Yaoguang cooed sweet words to coax Zhou Wangshu.
Zhou Wangshu couldn’t control himself and rolled his eyes.
“So when do we go say it, when can we meet?”
“I’ll first go tell Chen Buyu, then set a time. What are you rushing for?”
“He’s still injured!” Su Yaoguang said, “Let’s not delay. Let’s go now!”
With that, Su Yaoguang pulled Zhou Wangshu to his feet.
Zhou Wangshu pinched a piece of pastry and fed it into his mouth.
Ever since Jia Chunni and Zhang Pandi, those two who could cook, came to the house, Su Yaoguang rarely cooked, let alone made pastries.
Actually, in Zhou Wangshu’s view, the pastries Su Yaoguang made were the real masterpiece. It was just that for women, they preferred the pastries made by Zhang Pandi and her daughter. But for a man’s taste, Su Yaoguang’s pastries were sweet without being cloying—even after eating a whole plate, it still felt like it wasn’t enough.
Zhou Wangshu stepped into the dance hall again.
The dance hall had no customers; it was deathly quiet.
Zhou Wangshu brought Su Yaoguang through the back door, because the front door hadn’t been opened recently.
“Where’s your young master?” Zhou Wangshu asked the manager.
The manager said: “The young master went back to see Madam. Madam is ill, and the young master is worried about her. He’s been keeping watch by Madam’s bedside for two days.”
“He’s not here, but finding you is the same.” Zhou Wangshu nodded to the manager, led him to a corner, and muttered with him for a bit before returning to Su Yaoguang’s side. “I talked to the manager. He said that Zi Zhan Young Master happens to be at the dance hall today. It’s just that he’s a bit timid and never shows his real face. Usually, at the slightest sound, he hides. Now with customers around, he’s avoiding again.”
“What is he doing at the dance hall? There are no customers recently, no need for him to perform on stage.”
“I heard he’s short on cash and came to the dance hall to borrow some money to get by.” Zhou Wangshu said, “If you want to see him, you can now. But he’s timid and definitely won’t want to see people for long. I’ll go rest somewhere else in a bit and wait for you to come out.”
“Good.”
The manager came over and said to Su Yaoguang: “Young lady, this way please.”
Seeing Su Yaoguang leave, Zhou Wangshu quickly turned and headed in another direction.
“Young lady, please wait a moment inside.”
Su Yaoguang paced back and forth in the room. Not long after, someone pushed the door and entered.
“Young lady, you’re looking for me?”
Su Yaoguang looked at the man before her who wore a veiled hat, hiding his appearance.
“How’s your injury from that day?” Su Yaoguang stretched her finger to point at his back. “Have you seen a doctor? What did the doctor say?”
‘Zi Zhan Young Master’ said in a deep voice: “Young lady, no need to worry. My injury is fine; I’ve already applied medicine. Young lady doesn’t need to keep this matter in mind. If not for you helping me, I’d have suffered a worse injury. This little scrape is nothing; it’s far from what you did for me. You helped me, I helped you—let’s call it even. If young lady has no other matters, I’ll head back first; family is waiting for me at home.”
“I heard you came here to borrow money?”
“Yes.”
Su Yaoguang pulled out silver notes and stuffed them into his hand: “Consider this money as me lending it to you. Pay me back when you have it. Times are tough now; grain prices have multiplied dozens of times. Days are hard.”
“So many silver notes, all to me?” ‘Zi Zhan Young Master’s’ tone was odd, with a hint of gritted teeth.
Su Yaoguang was puzzled: “Is it not enough? I only brought this much.”
“One hundred taels in silver notes—do you think that’s enough?” ‘Zi Zhan Young Master’ laughed in anger.
“What’s wrong?” Su Yaoguang thought for a moment and took off her bracelet, “If it’s not enough, take this too.”
‘Zi Zhan Young Master’ Zhou Wangshu: “…”
