After eating, Tang Xiao and Tang Guo’er returned home. Zhang Ning cleared the bowls and chopsticks, washed them, and put them back in the cupboard, so Qiao Suiman did not have to do it.
Qiao Suiman has been feeling more and more sleepy lately. After meals, he would return to his room to sleep. Lu Dongqing would come over every afternoon to watch the store for an hour for him.
Qiao Suiman returned to his room, took off his outer garment, and burrowed under the quilt. He gently touched his already protruding belly and smiled to himself, murmuring softly, “Eating and then sleeping right away. I’m really turning into a little pig.”
After saying that, he yawned. So what if he is a little pig? Qin Yu-ge said that being able to eat and sleep was a good thing. He just laid down when he fell into a deep sleep.
When the time came, Lu Dongqing would come to wake him up, so he wouldn’t sleep too long. Sleeping too much would make him dizzy and affect his sleep at night. A little less than half an hour was enough.
After waking up, Qiao Suiman was in high spirits, feeling refreshed and full of energy. He cheerfully went back to the shop to collect money and count coins. Lu Dongqing had Chen Xiasheng watch the shop while he drove the donkey cart to a carpenter in the southern part of town to pick up the carriage.
They had been considering this since last winter. When the cart is running, the wind is very strong, and no matter how well they bundle up, the wind would still seep into their bodies. With a carriage, they wouldn’t have to worry about the cold wind.
Later, the matter of buying the new shop distracted them, and the carriage was put on hold. In the past, when they rode the donkey cart back to the village, even though Lu Dongqing was careful and Qiao Suiman sat on thick cushions, the jolting couldn’t be avoided. So, Lu Dongqing had inquired about carpenters in town and ordered a carriage to be made.
Qiao Suiman occasionally glanced toward the door. He had only ever seen others sitting inside carriages and lifting the curtains to look outside. He never thought he would one day get to ride in a carriage himself. The thought made him smile.
The customers in the shop came and went, and there weren’t much fragrant drinks or milk tea left. Qiao Suiman looked at the sky and wondered why Lu Dongqing hadn’t returned yet.
Even after the fragrant drinks shop closed for the day, and Fulang He had cleaned up and gone home, Lu Dongqing still hadn’t returned. Qiao Suiman suddenly grew anxious and went out to the street to look around.
Fortunately, a familiar figure in the distance was driving a donkey cart toward him. It was Lu Dongqing.
Qiao Suiman breathed a sigh of relief, and only when the person was in front of him did he complain: “Why were you gone so long?”
Lu Dongqing explained, “On the way, I heard people say the pastry shop has new varieties. They’ve introduced a lotus flower pastry, which is sweet and crispy. I remembered we already finished the red bean cakes we bought earlier, so I took a detour to the East Market to buy some. I didn’t expect the streets to be crowded with carts and horses on the way back, which delayed me.”
“It’s my fault for making you worry,” Lu Dongqing said softly.
Now that he was back, Qiao Suiman’s heart was no longer anxious. He smiled and said, “It’s good that you’re back.”
Then he squinted at the carriage. “Quick, I want to get in and sit.”
“Alright.”
Lu Dongqing smiled, placed the pastries on the table in the shop, and first took out a small stool from the carriage. Qiao Suiman stepped directly onto it and climbed into the carriage in a few moves, feeling around everywhere.
Except for the entrance side, the other three sides has forward-protruding seats. Although the entire carriage wasn’t large, it could still seat six or seven people, which is more than enough.
There was also a section at the front of the carriage that wasn’t enclosed, intended for placing bamboo or firewood. If placed inside the carriage, both of them would feel bad if it got scratched, so they specifically asked the carpenter to leave a space for it. For this, they spent a bit more and cost three taels of silver in total.
Qiao Suiman sat by the small window and, like everyone else, gently lifted a corner of the curtain to look outside. The streets appeared small and he could only see a little.
“This is great, Dongqing. With cushions, it definitely won’t be so bumpy,” Qiao Suiman’s eyes curved with his smile.
“Mmm.”
Lu Dongqing had already seen it once but was still happy. The more things they have at home, the more comfortable he felt.
“Xiao Man-ge, Master, I want to see too,” Chen Xiasheng was watching eagerly for a while, but because there was no one watching the shop, he didn’t dare to come over.
Qiao Suiman got off the carriage and waved to Chen Xiasheng. “Come over.”
Chen Xiasheng hopped onto the carriage, took a few glances, and then got off. It wasn’t his family’s, and it was so new that he didn’t dare touch it randomly. “Xiao Man-ge, riding this home must be really comfortable.”
Qiao Suiman smiled and nodded.
While they were talking, Lu Dongqing closed the door of the bamboo ware shop. Just then, Zhang Ning finished preparing dinner, so they ate together.
The shop business was good, and the couple’s life was harmonious and happy. Many people on the street envied them. But aside from those who envied them, there were also some who felt annoyed.
Qiao Suiman’s belly was becoming more noticeable. Even if nothing was said outright, everyone knew he was pregnant. This led some people to develop ill intentions.
Not long ago, a woman had taken advantage of when Qiao Suiman was busy in the drink shop to go to the bamboo ware shop. She asked Lu Dongqing in a roundabout way whether he wanted to consider taking a young concubine since Qiao Suiman was now in his later stages of pregnancy and wouldn’t be able to serve him well.
When Lu Dongqing understood her meaning, he directly chased her out and flew into a rage. He pointed at the woman and loudly accused her of having ill intentions. He warned that if she dared come again, he would definitely teach her a lesson. This scared the passers-by so much that even Qiao Suiman was startled.
After learning what happened, Qiao Suiman, with his protruding belly, took a large broom and swung it at the woman. Chen Xiasheng followed behind and threw small stones. The woman fled in disgrace, cursing foully all the while.
One moment, she said that Lu Dongqing was pretentious and lacked masculinity, being completely controlled by his fulang. Next, she said that Qiao Suiman was a jealous fulang, clinging to his husband even while heavily pregnant.
Qin Xiaoyao laughed angrily, took a basin of water, and splashed it on the woman, cursing: “You shameless creature! Wanting to make your child a concubine without even looking where you are! This couple is doing perfectly well. If you love matchmaking so much and pushing people to become concubines, why don’t you become a brother keeper[mfn]老鸨 lǎobǎo – refers to female operators who run brothels and manage prostitutes; female brothel keeper, procuress, female pimp, madam[/mfn] instead!”
Other shopkeepers on the street also came out to curse her. Everyone knew what the woman was up to. She had seen that Lu Dongqing’s bamboo ware shop was profitable and that Qiao Suiman’s shop was also doing well, so she wanted to insert her child into their lives like a leech to suck their blood!
Most of the people in the town are from ordinary families. There is no such thing as taking multiple wives and concubines. Couples partnered up for a lifetime, and that was that. Yet she had to come and disgust everyone.
Lu Dongqing was truly angry that day and even began to doubt himself. Did he not show enough affection toward Qiao Suiman? How could those people think he would want anyone other than Qiao Suiman? He frowned and spent a long time reflecting on it.
If others knew he thought this way, they would be so envious their teeth would ache. The way he clung to Qiao Suiman every day was almost too much to watch.
Qiao Suiman, on the other hand, wasn’t very angry. He knew how Lu Dongqing felt about him. That person was beaten and gained nothing from it, so he soon forgot about the matter.
It wasn’t until one night when Lu Dongqing couldn’t hold it in any longer and asked him, “Xiao Man, am I not good enough to you? How could that person think I would like someone else? It must be because I’m not attentive enough to you that she got such an idea.”
Qiao Suiman was stunned for half the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Then he couldn’t help but burst out laughing, “Where did you get that idea? That person was after our money. No matter how good our relationship is, she would still want to meddle and get a share of the benefits.”
Lu Dongqing’s eyes widened. “So that’s how it is.”
Qiao Suiman trembled with laughter in his embrace. This man occasionally showed a clueless side that made Qiao Suiman like him more and more. Qiao Suiman looked up and rubbed his face against Lu Dongqing’s neck. “Forget about that person. Let’s focus on living our lives well and wait peacefully for the baby to arrive.”
Only then did Lu Dongqing smile. “Mmm. I wonder if it’ll be a ge’r, a girl, or a little boy.”
“What do you want?” Qiao Suiman asked softly.
“Any is fine,” Lu Dongqing replied with a gentle smile.
“I think any is fine too,” Qiao Suiman said, covering Lu Dongqing’s hand with his own.
Before they knew it, the seasons for persimmons and crabapples passed, and it was once again time for sweet orange drinks. Lu Xuesong and Tang Guo’er’s wedding day was just around the corner. Qiao Suiman and Lu Dongqing simply took two extra days off to return home and help with the preparations.
Chen Xiasheng had long since returned to the village with Chen Ping, bringing several winnowing baskets and bamboo baskets he made himself. Chen Ping could tell at a glance that they were meticulously woven, a proof that he had learned well. He felt very pleased.
Qiao Suiman laid a thin quilt inside the carriage, leaned against the window, and looked out as they traveled. Even though he had seen the scenery many times before, riding in the carriage made it seem like new.
“Dongqing, stop up ahead! There are tanghulus[mfn]糖葫蘆 – refers to a traditional Chinese snack in which fruit (traditionally hawthorn) is strung on bamboo sticks and coated in syrup to form a hard, crispy sugar shell (this trended lately!)[/mfn]!” Qiao Suiman said excitedly.
Lu Dongqing obediently stopped near the tanghulu vendor. “I’ll go buy some. How many do you want?”
“Buy seven or eight sticks,” Qiao Suiman said, swallowing his saliva.
Lu Dongqing’s laughter came from beside him. “Alright, but you can only eat two sticks.”
“I know. These are for Mother and Songzi, and the others,” Qiao Suiman said and pouted.
The physician said that he shouldn’t eat too many hawthorns and should only eat them occasionally. But lately, Qiao Suiman had been craving sour foods, and Lu Dongqing always stopped him from eating too many. Fortunately, he could still eat sour plums, so Qiao Suiman didn’t complain much. Now, seeing the bright red tanghulu, his craving was instantly aroused, so he asked Lu Dongqing to buy some.
Now that they had money, he could eat many things that he couldn’t afford to eat before. His face even became a little rounder, which pleased Lu Dongqing greatly.
The donkey cart entered the village steadily. Every time they returned, people would watch them all the way, and this time was no different. Qiao Suiman leaned out of the carriage and greeted the fellow villagers he knew, leisurely making their way to the west end of the village.
The house had been tidied up. They decorated a bit during their last visit home. Festive paper-cuts were pasted up and lanterns were hung. The betrothal gifts were sent to Hedong Village last winter by Lu Dongqing and Miao Lianhua, the same amount as what was given to the Qiao family, neither more nor less. The Tang family was very satisfied.
Seeing them, Miao Lianhua was overjoyed. When she noticed they had changed to a carriage, she grinned from ear to ear. “Good, good, good.”
Qiao Suiman cheerfully handed Miao Lianhua a few sticks of tanghulu. He couldn’t wait to open one and start eating it, and said, “Did Songzi and Da-ge go to sell eggs again?”
“Yes, they collected over three hundred. Fortunately, Laifu Wine House wanted a lot, and the Fang and Liu families also wanted some, so they delivered them right away.”
The two families have many chickens and ducks. During winter, when egg prices were high, they made a small profit. But after spring arrived, eggs became more plentiful and weren’t as easy to sell. Fortunately, they had previously dealt with those families, who knew they had a steady supply of chicken and duck eggs. After maintaining those relationships, they could deliver whenever there was demand, so they didn’t have to peddle them everywhere themselves.
“Mother, is there anything else that needs to be done at home?” Qiao Suiman asked.
“Not much. You ah, should rest well when you’re back. When the time comes, we’ll hire people to cook. Just greet the in-laws and wait for the meal,” Miao Lianhua said with a smile.
With her two sons’ fulang, one about to give birth and the other soon to marry into the family, she could laugh in her dreams just thinking about it. Remembering something, she added, “Little Tuanzi has started talking.”
“Really?!” Qiao Suiman exclaimed in surprise. Tuanzi was almost one year old now and growing increasingly adorable. Every time Qiao Suiman returned, he would hold him and was reluctant to let go. “Last time I was back, he couldn’t talk yet.”
“He can say ‘Father’ and ‘A-mu’[mfn]阿姆 – a maternal term, often for mother or grandmother (will use this term in the translation to refer to fulangs)[/mfn] now, but not other words yet. Still, that’s considered early talking! When Dongqing was little, he didn’t start speaking until he was one and a half years old. We were so worried back then.”
Qiao Suiman chuckled. “So he’s been like this since he was young.”
“I just started talking later, that’s all,” Lu Dongqing explained earnestly.
Qiao Suiman nodded absentmindedly. Suddenly, he thought, if the baby took after Lu Dongqing and only started calling ‘A-die‘[mfn]阿爹 (ā diē): a paternal term; father[/mfn] and ‘A-mu‘ at one and a half years old, wouldn’t he have to wait an extra half year?
If you enjoy my translations, consider buying me a milk tea 🥛🍵
