MFBOWSBTMT Chapter 42

After several days of practice, Qiao Suiman’s sewing skills had finally improved somewhat. At the very least, his stitches were now even and tightly spaced.

 

Two days prior, the Lu family had sent over a few auspicious dates for their wedding through matchmaker Luo. The dates were the 18th day of the tenth month, the seventh day of the first month next year, and the 20th day of the second month next year.

 

Qiao Suiman was born in the eighth month, and in just one more month, he would turn eighteen. If they postponed the wedding until the beginning of next year, some elders would consider him nineteen by then, which is much later than other people’s marriages.

 

Another reason is that the master who calculated the dates had discerned that the Lu family had recently suffered misfortune and advised them to hold a joyous event within the year to dispel the bad luck. After discussion between the two families, the wedding date was set for the eighteenth day of the tenth month. By then, more than half a year would have passed since Qiao Chengfu’s death, and as the county magistrate had said, their timing was beyond reproach.

 

Once the wedding date was settled, the two families openly interacted even more frequently. Though some envious people muttered resentfully behind their backs, neither family paid them any mind. With such a joyous occasion at hand, why bother wasting energy on such folk?

 

Xiahe Village has two weddings scheduled for the second half of the year and Yu Ping was overjoyed. The Chen and Wang families would hold theirs in the ninth month, while the Qiao and Lu families would hold theirs in the tenth month. Both were young people he had always held in high regard. Filled with joy, he helped the Qiao and Lu families arrange the banquets.

 

Neither family had many relatives or friends, and after counting, they could only fill six or seven tables at most. But that was enough. Only those from large, prominent families could fill ten or more tables. There was no need to force it. Though the numbers were modest, the blessings would be sincere.

 

With all matters settled, Qiao Suiman threw himself into earning money. After all, Lu Dongqing had recently earned over a tael of silver from selling bamboo beds, and now even villagers were commissioning bamboo utensils from him. He couldn’t afford to fall behind.

 

And so, he and Qin Yu went up the mountain to gather a large quantity of wild jasmine flowers, intending to use them for a new drink.

 

The peach blossoms had begun to wither, and the trees bore fewer and fewer fruits. Fortunately, they dried plenty of peach flesh when the fruits were still abundant. Since peach syrup couldn’t be stored for too long and the remaining peaches weren’t enough to make another batch, Qiao Suiman decided not to sell Immortal Peach Drink during the Qixi Festival. Instead, he would offer Jasmine Drink.

 

Jasmine is fragrant and light, and when steeped with wild mountain tea and a bit of sugar, it can be made into a refreshing drink. However, it is difficult to find the right ratio. Too much jasmine means the aroma is strong but the flavor is weak, while too much tea makes the drink bitter.

 

Qiao Suiman experimented several times before finding the perfect ratio: rich in flavor, harmonious in taste, and requiring the least amount of sugar while still achieving maximum sweetness.

 

With everything prepared, Lu Dongqing also proposed setting up a stall together at the festival. The eastern market would be bustling on the evening of Qixi[mfn]乞巧 Qiqiao[/mfn]. In addition to the usual vendors, a special Qixi market would be set up, selling festive ornaments and offering stalls for women and ge’r to weave colorful towers and demonstrate their needlework skills.

 

Qiao Suiman only passed by these two activities every year, and it was impossible for him to participate. Take the colorful tower weaving, for example. In the past, it only required threading a five-colored string through a seven-hole needle against the wind. But back then, he was too young to even have a chance to join.

 

By the time he was old enough, the townsfolk had grown dissatisfied with just threading needles and added on-the-spot embroidery. He knew his own limits. His stitching skills, which were mostly learned from Qin Yu, weren’t enough to show off. He rarely practiced and knew his work was far from presentable.

 

In previous years, he would simply sell his goods, watch others release flower lanterns by the river, and then return home. The lanterns were expensive, and they couldn’t bring themselves to buy any, so they had to content themselves with admiring others’.

 

But this year was different. Lu Dongqing invited him to stroll through the festival together and even mentioned making several flower lanterns, saving the most special one just for him. This year, he too could release a lantern like everyone else.

 

With this to look forward to, Qiao Suiman counted the days until Qixi. When the day finally arrived, he dressed in the lake-blue robe made from the fabric he bought earlier, with a soft mist-colored linen sash around his waist. His hair was pinned up with the bamboo hairpin Lu Dongqing had gifted him.

 

His fair complexion made him look even more vibrant in this outfit, especially the faint smile at the corner of his mouth, which made Lu Dongqing speechless at once.

 

“Let’s go,” Qiao Suiman said, cheeks warming under the other’s intense gaze. This was the first time he had worn this outfit since finishing it, and he too felt that today, he seemed a little different from usual.

 

“Mm,” Lu Dongqing finally managed, snapping out of his daze. “You look… really beautiful today.”

 

Staring so openly would have earned him a scolding for impropriety from anyone else. But Qiao Suiman is his soon-to-be fulang. Surely he wouldn’t scold him… right?

 

He glanced at Qiao Suiman again, saw no sign of anger, and smiled. “I’ve put the lanterns on the cart. When we get to the East Market I’ll hand them to you.”

 

Qiao Suiman and Lu Dongqing agreed to meet at the fork in the road. Qiao Ruifeng and Qin Yu watched them with amusement. These two fools had been engaged for so long, yet they still acted like lovestruck youths, sweet enough to make one’s teeth ache.

 

Under the gaze of his elder brother and brother-in-law, Qiao Suiman felt a little embarrassed and nodded hastily. “Alright, let’s go. If we’re late, we won’t get a good spot.”

 

Lu Dongqing finally tore his eyes away from Qiao Suiman, adjusted the hemp rope pulling the cart over his shoulder, and followed the group toward town. His cart carried not only several stacked baskets of bamboo tubes but also thirty or so exquisitely crafted flower lanterns, along with bamboo ornaments favored by women and ge’r.

 

Today, they wouldn’t go to their usual stall but to the Qixi Market, so they made more small items.

 

Since both Qiao Ruifeng and Lu Dongqing were pulling carts, they couldn’t move too quickly. Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu also carried bamboo baskets filled with gourds and vegetables on their backs. To secure a good spot, they set off for town before dawn.

 

By the time they arrived at the Qixi market, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and a few small vendors had already set up. They found a shaded spot near the entrance. While there were still no customers, they took the opportunity to rest and each ate a pancake with their drinks.

 

Qiao Suiman had previously asked Lu Dongqing to write a sign informing customers that they wouldn’t be setting up on the fifth and ninth days of the seventh month but would instead be at the Qixi market on the seventh, where new bamboo tubes would be available.

 

While serving drinks, Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu repeatedly reminded customers of this, afraid that those who couldn’t read would miss the notice.

 

However… Qiao Suiman glanced at the drink stall across from them, the smile on his lips fading slightly. That vendor had been shadowing them since the sixth month, setting up either right next to them or directly opposite, like a lingering ghost.

 

Seeing that they sold four types of drinks, he also sold four. Seeing that they made their own bamboo tubes, he also had someone make bamboo tubes for him. He even brazenly poached customers from their stall when the line was long, refusing to be shaken off.

 

Hmph.

 

Qiao Suiman smirked coldly. So what if he copied them? Blind imitation wouldn’t create a distinctive brand, nor could it keep up with their speed of introducing new products. Previously, Lu Dongqing had been too busy to carve bamboo tubes, allowing this vendor to take advantage. But now, with so many uniquely designed bamboo tubes and a new drink, customers would only remember their craftsmanship even more.

 

If the vendor had simply been trying to make a living by riding the trend they had started, Qiao Suiman wouldn’t have minded. After all, they were all just common folk trying to get by. But this man had repeatedly provoked them, even secretly telling customers that their drinks were unclean. That was simply too much.

 

–

 

Author [陳皮皮梅]: Ah! I want to write about married life!

 

 

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Translator [LUNE]: Six or seven chapters before the wedding. (｡♥‿♥｡)