Chapter 227: Settling Down
The next morning, Su Yaoguang and the others came to the inn’s hall to eat breakfast.
“Where is Wangshu?” Su Yaoguang asked.
“Has he not gotten up yet?” Zhang Zhaodi asked. “I’ll have a shop assistant go upstairs to check.”
There were twenty-five shop assistants who came with Peach Blossom Workshop, seventeen male shop assistants and eight female shop assistants.
It was mealtime now, and the people from Peach Blossom Workshop filled the hall.
The shop assistant arranged by Zhang Zhaodi was about to go upstairs when Zhou Wangshu was seen returning from outside.
“Where did you go so early?” Zhang Zhaodi asked in surprise.
Zhou Wangshu handed a piece of paper to Su Yaoguang. “Here, I just got it done.”
Su Yaoguang took it and looked. The others also crowded over. Upon seeing the content on the paper, they were all shocked.
“Deed!”
“Yes, I just went to see the house and thought it was pretty good, so I bought it directly.”
“Wangshu, you boy really do big things without a word,” Zhang Zhaodi said. “I trust your judgment. If you think it’s good, it must be good. So after breakfast, shall we move?”
Zhou Wangshu looked at Su Yaoguang.
“Houses in the capital city are not cheap. Where did you get the money to buy a house?” Su Yaoguang stuffed the deed back into her pocket.
“You give me a lot of silver on usual days, and I can’t spend it all, so I saved it bit by bit.”
“The silver I gave you was already enough to save up for a house in the capital city?” Su Yaoguang doubted.
“Of course. You’re always so generous, always liking to stuff me with silver for no reason.”
“Do you think little sister and brother-in-law have entered the capital?” Zhang Zhaodi said. “The capital city is so big, it’s hard to find people.”
“Let’s settle down first, and then slowly inquire when we have time. Anyway, brother-in-law will take the imperial examination like Wangshu, so we’ll meet sooner or later.”
“That’s true.”
Zhong Chushan put his arm around Zhou Wangshu’s shoulders and joked, “Is the house big enough? Can it accommodate us two homeless people?”
“It’s not that big, but it can accommodate your whole family,” Zhou Wangshu said.
After breakfast, everyone moved to the new residence.
That house was somewhat similar to the Peach Blossom Workshop in the county town, with a shop in front and housing in the back. The difference was in size. This house was three times more spacious than the Peach Blossom Workshop in the county town.
Zhang Zhaodi praised this new residence highly.
“If Wangshu can become an official in the capital city, we’ll settle here. Look how good this house is, and the location is great too, perfect for opening a shop. If we open Peach Blossom Workshop here, business will definitely be better than in the county town.”
There were many shop assistants, so cleaning up was quick. That same day, they tidied up the rooms and bought things everywhere to get the new residence in order.
After getting it in order, they first familiarized themselves with the environment in the capital city.
There were three months until the imperial examination. During these three months, Zhou Wangshu and the others could not idle. Therefore, they soon went to an academy in the capital city for further study.
The best academy in the capital city should be the Imperial Academy, but not everyone could get in there. Anyway, with only three months left, Zhou Wangshu and the others did not want too much trouble, so they found another privately founded academy.
Su Yaoguang led the people from Peach Blossom Workshop to speed up the rush work, and in just one month, they opened Peach Blossom Workshop.
When Peach Blossom Workshop opened, Su Yaoguang hung up a sign at the doorway saying everything purchased today was seventy percent off, attracting many curious customers.
The new Peach Blossom Workshop had four floors. Besides the first floor selling various goods, upstairs were all service-oriented.
“Distinguished guests, please come in…” Zhang Zhaodi greeted customers at the doorway.
There were many rich people in the capital city, and the customers coming and going were ten times those in the county town. Moreover, most of those who came bought things, and almost none left empty-handed.
From the day Peach Blossom Workshop opened, customers came like the clouds, and Zhang Zhaodi was beaming with joy every day. Everyone had things to do and was busy, and they quickly adapted to life in the capital city.
There was an empty storeroom in the backyard. Su Yaoguang saw that the space was large and the lighting was good, so she turned it into a workshop. The goods they sold were all made in that workshop.
Su Yaoguang checked the progress in the workshop and came out rubbing her sore shoulders. She heard a sound from above and looked up to see Zhou Wangshu sitting on the rooftop drinking.
“You brat, why did you climb so high?” Su Yaoguang climbed up from the nearby stairs.
Seeing her like this, Zhou Wangshu worried she would fall, so he grabbed her arm and pulled her over.
“I saw the moonlight was nice today, and the wine you brewed could be opened and drunk, so I wanted to enjoy the moon and taste the wine here.”
Su Yaoguang leaned over and looked at him suspiciously. “Lying. You have something on your mind.”
“What could I have on my mind?” Zhou Wangshu used the wine pot to cover his emotions.
“If you won’t say, fine. I’ll drink with you!” Su Yaoguang said, snatching the wine pot from his hand and taking a gulp with her head tilted back.
Zhou Wangshu leaned over and said in her ear, “I just drank from it. Doesn’t this count as you eating my saliva?”
“Cough…” Su Yaoguang was choked and pushed Zhou Wangshu’s face away. “You brat, you’re getting more and more disrespectful.”
Zhou Wangshu put his arm around her shoulders and said, “Look how scared you are. Is it necessary? We’re at least people who have slept in the same bed and drunk from the same pot of wine.”
“Wangshu, we agreed before…”
“Ah, my head hurts so much…” Zhou Wangshu held his head. “Last time I was hit, now it hurts every few days. I don’t know if I’ll turn into an idiot.”
Su Yaoguang rolled her eyes.
“If I turn into an idiot, forget about getting top scholar or second scholar. I’m afraid I won’t even be able to live a normal life. Yaoguang, you won’t abandon me after starting something, right?”
“Zhou Wangshu, didn’t we agree before…”
“What did I say? I don’t remember.” Zhou Wangshu tilted his head back and drank.
“What idiot are you pretending to be now?”
Zhou Wangshu tilted his head back and drained it in one gulp, set down the wine pot, cupped Su Yaoguang’s cheeks, and kissed her.
“Wang…”
“Yaoguang, don’t abandon me, okay?” Zhou Wangshu said with red eyes, looking at her aggrievedly. “You’re all I have left in this world.”
Su Yaoguang: “…”
Zhou Wangshu’s emotions were off today.
“What exactly is wrong with you?”
“Today is my mother’s death anniversary.” Zhou Wangshu lay down and looked at the moon in the sky. “I have no family left in this world.”
“Who says you don’t?” Su Yaoguang said. “As long as you’re willing, I’ll always be your family.”
“If you want to be some kind of older sister, give up on that! You and I are husband and wife with a marriage certificate. If you have special quirks, I can accommodate you.”
Su Yaoguang: “…”
Zhou Wangshu patted the spot next to him. “Accompany me to look at the moon for a while.”
Su Yaoguang lay down.
Zhou Wangshu took her hand and intertwined their fingers.
“Wangshu, are you from the capital city?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“After returning to the capital city, I’ve noticed you zoning out more and more.” Su Yaoguang said.
“Mm.”
After a while with no response from beside him, Zhou Wangshu turned his head and saw Su Yaoguang had fallen asleep in his arms.
“You really don’t treat me like a man at all!” Zhou Wangshu said unconvinced.
He held her and jumped down from the rooftop.
Zhang Zhaodi came out of the bath room and saw Zhou Wangshu carrying Su Yaoguang back to the room. A sly smile flashed in her eyes.
After Zhou Wangshu put Su Yaoguang down properly and covered her with the quilt, he found the room door locked when he went to leave.
“Wangshu!” Zhang Zhaodi’s voice came from outside the door.
“Mother, why did you lock the door?” Zhou Wangshu said.
“Before, when I said you were still young and wanted to delay sharing a room by a couple years, that was fine. But now you’ve grown up. Isn’t it inappropriate for you husband and wife to sleep in separate rooms anymore?”
Zhou Wangshu glanced at Su Yaoguang on the bed. “Mother, Yaoguang will be angry.”
“This is my arrangement. Let’s see if she dares not listen. Alright, you rest here tonight. Tomorrow move your luggage in.”
Zhou Wangshu chuckled and walked back to the bedside, pinching Su Yaoguang’s nose as he said, “This is Mother’s idea. Don’t make a fuss with me tomorrow. I’m an innocent victim too.”
Su Yaoguang swatted his hand away and turned over.
Zhou Wangshu took off his shoes and got into the quilt.
Su Yaoguang woke up from the heat. She opened her eyes and saw a handsome face magnified in front of her. Not fully awake, she was startled and swung her fist at him.
Zhou Wangshu grabbed her fist and stuffed it back under the quilt. “Be careful not to catch a cold.”
“Why are you here?” Su Yaoguang tried to sit up but was pressed back down by Zhou Wangshu.
“It’s not dawn yet. What are you getting up for? Lie back down.”
“Zhou Wangshu!”
“Mother locked the door from the outside and said from today on we have to share a room.” Zhou Wangshu said. “If you’re unhappy, go complain to Mother. I’m sleepy and want to sleep.”
With that, he yawned.
“Then you sleep. I’m well-rested and want to get up…”
Su Yaoguang looked at Zhou Wangshu who had rolled over and pressed down on her, surprise flashing in her eyes.
“Su Yaoguang, am I a flood or a fierce beast that you dislike me so much?”
“No…” Su Yaoguang pushed at him, unease flashing in her eyes.
The corners of Zhou Wangshu’s mouth curved up. “Want to kiss?”
“What?” Su Yaoguang thought she had misheard.
“You always treat me like a younger brother, maybe because we met too early. I was too small then, and in your memory, I’m always that way. Perhaps… you should look at me with new eyes and realize I’m a man…”
As Zhou Wangshu spoke, he slowly leaned closer to Su Yaoguang and kissed her forehead.
Su Yaoguang grew more uneasy, pushed him away, and said, “Don’t be ridic…”
Before the word “ulous” was out, her lips were blocked by Zhou Wangshu.
Zhou Wangshu pried open her mouth, kissing deeper and deeper.
“Mmm…”
Zhou Wangshu released her and looked at her eyes misty like the moon through fog, touching her cheek as he said, “From today on, you have to realize I’m your husband.”
“Wangshu, didn’t we agree before?”
“My head was hit, I don’t remember what was said before.”
“You won’t regret it?” Su Yaoguang said. “With your qualifications, getting an official position is just a matter of time. Then there will inevitably be many noblewomen admiring you.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Zhou Wangshu touched her cheek. “I only know the person I’m with day and night is you, the one who guarded me for seven days and nights is you, the one who always thinks of me whenever there’s something good is you, the one who accompanied me through those hard days and nights is you, and… the name on the marriage certificate is yours.”
Su Yaoguang looked into Zhou Wangshu’s eyes.
There were stars in his eyes, very beautiful.
He had always been a very good-looking youth. She knew how outstanding he was, so she regarded him like a precious pearl, wanting to treasure him well and hand him over to someone who would cherish him at the right time.
If this was what he wanted, then so be it!
“If one day… you meet someone you want to be with more, just tell me!” Su Yaoguang said. “You need a wife, so I’ll be a wife. If you want me to go back to being an older sister, I’ll be your… hiss, are you a dog?”
Zhou Wangshu got up and got out of bed with a sulky face.
“So early, where are you going?”
Zhou Wangshu said angrily while putting on clothes, “Su Yaoguang, I don’t need your pity.”
“When did I ever pity you?” Su Yaoguang frowned. “You brat, why are you so hard to serve?”
“Listen to what you’re saying. Is that how you talk to someone you like? If I want a wife, you’re a wife. If I want an older sister, you can be an older sister. What exactly am I to you that you’re so accommodating? If you truly liked me, you couldn’t be this calm. You’re just pitying me for having no family, pitying me?”
Zhou Wangshu pulled open the door and walked out.
Su Yaoguang: “…”
What a temper.
She had already compromised, and he was still throwing a tantrum at her.
Su Yaoguang sat up, wanting to find Zhou Wangshu and bring him back. But that boy was in a fit of anger, and he definitely wouldn’t listen to her now.
“Forget it, let him calm down first.”
Since the door was open, he should have gone back to his original room.
Bang bang! Zhang Zhaodi pushed the door open and came in, pulling the still-sleeping Su Yaoguang up.
“Su Yaoguang, you’ve turned the world upside down now, not even listening to your mother.” Zhang Zhaodi pinched her cheeks.
“Ah, it hurts, Mother, what are you doing?”
“What did you do to Wangshu?” Zhang Zhaodi pinched her chubby cheeks. “So early in the morning, that child cried until his eyes were swollen, all aggrieved as he packed his luggage to go to the academy, saying he’d stay at the academy recently and not come back for now. He said you didn’t chase him away or refuse responsibility, you just disliked him for being too young. It’s just that he was born two years late, not fitting your taste… Su Yaoguang, now that you have money, have you learned from those stinky men to play around outside and taken a fancy to some wild man?”
Su Yaoguang: “…”
She wanted to strangle him.
“I didn’t.”
“If you didn’t, then go get Wangshu back for me. I tell you, I only recognize Wangshu as my son-in-law. If you dare to abandon him after starting something, I’ll sever our mother-daughter relationship.” Zhang Zhaodi widened her eyes and raised her voice.
“I got it. I’ll go to the academy to find him in a bit, okay?”
Zhou Wangshu, you’re dead meat.
“No ‘in a bit.’ Get up now.” Zhang Zhaodi yanked off the quilt. “Wangshu is such a good child, and you’re still so picky. What kind of one do you want?”
Su Yaoguang climbed up powerlessly, grabbed the clothes nearby. Before she could put them on, Zhang Zhaodi snatched them away and threw them far off.
“You’re going to the academy to see Wangshu, where there are many of his classmates. Can’t you dress up a bit to give Wangshu some face?” Zhang Zhaodi glared at her.
Su Yaoguang squeezed out a smile. “Okay, my dear mother, I’ll do exactly as you say right away.”
