Chapter 49
Accepting Her Money Pouch
T/N: Chapter (1/8) sponsored by Madam Daim! Thank you so much for continuously sponsoring so many chapter!
Du Xiao Li and Luo Qi waited outside the courtyard. A long while later, Hong Jie finally came out holding something. Seeing Du Xiao Li, she said, “Madam said she’s received your kindly intentions. However, right now, madam is currently meeting with her younger sister, so she isn’t able to meet you. This is the mooncake madam says to give to you.”
Du Xiao Li accepted the mooncakes and said, “Thank you madam.”
“Let’s go, I’ll send you out.” Hong Jie said.
“En en.” Du Xiao Li followed Hong Jie out of the main courtyard. She originally didn’t think madam would see her anyways, so she didn’t think much of it. This was the people of the governmental cla.s.s of this feudal society!
Leaving the county magistrate’s residence, Du Xiao Li and the others then headed for the marketplace, buying some chicken feet, duck tongue, and whatnot, and also some other vegetables, filling a full basket.
Leng Er saw how Du Xiao Li had gotten strange pots made, and also bought a bunch of vegetables, but the amount of every kind wasn’t much. He puzzlingly asked, “Just what are you making with this?”
“You’ll know by tomorrow night.” Du Xiao Li mysteriously said. “If I tell you now, what fun would there still be?”
Eh—-
These words weren’t wrong, but he still felt itchy inside and want to know, what to do?!
Returning back to the village, Du Xiao Li had the ingredients moved into Niu Jing’s house. Everyone’s reactions were all more or less the same as Leng Er’s. Ji Liu Feng asked the same question as Leng Er, and received Du Xiao Li’s same answer. Seeing this, the others also gave up.
“Big brother Yi, this is the remaining money.” Du Xiao Li, who had the remaining money put into a small pouch, handed the pouch to Han Ming Yi. This pouch she’d sewn together herself with some pieces of cloth. Because there was the first two as practice, this little money pouch’s quality could be considered pa.s.sing.
Han Ming Yi stared at the simple money pouch, reached out and took it, directly placing it into his chest.
Du Xiao Li watched as her little money pouch was so expressionlessly confiscated by Han Ming Yi. Recalling that there were some silver fragments inside and was indeed not easy to hold, she thus let him have his way. Seeing Niu Jing come out, she said, “Grandpa Niu, these things all need to be placed somewhere shady, don’t let the sun shine on them. Else, when we eat tomorrow, it won’t be fresh anymore. If you have time, just sprinkle some water on top.”
“Alright, I understand. I will have those guys take care of it.” Niu Jing said.
“Then we’ll go back first! Will come over again tomorrow morning.” Du Xiao Li said and then left with Luo Qi.
The morning of the next day, Du Xiao Li, like usual, did her exercises in the courtyard, practicing some punches Luo Qi recently taught her. After that, she headed to Niu Jing’s house along with Silver and Luo Qi.
“Grandpa Niu, I’ve come!” Upon entering the courtyard, Du Xiao Li loudly shouted towards the house.
Today was so strange, Han Ming Yi wasn’t lying at his usual spot, and the others were all nowhere to be found in the courtyard too. Hearing Han Ming Yi’s movements inside, she and Luo Qi directly walked in.
“You’re here!” Seeing Du Xiao Li, Leng Yi greeted her.
“What happened?” Du Xiao Li saw Han Ming Yi lying on the bed with Niu Jing at his side taking his pulse. The others were all in a circle around the room.
“Just now young master’s twitching disease acted up again.” Leng Yi replied.
Du Xiao Li listened as she stood to the side watching with Luo Qi.
After a while, Niu Jing stood up and said, “Young master is fine, everyone can all go out.”
Leng Yi and the others walked out in succession, leaving only Niu Jing, Ji Liu Feng, and also Du Xiao Li and Luo Qi in the room.
“Grandpa Niu, is it that big brother Yi’s disease hasn’t acted up in a very long time?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“That’s right!” Niu Jing replied, “Ever since last time, it hasn’t acted up again until now. That’s why today, everyone all got frightened.”
“I’m fine now, you all can go out.” Han Ming Yi spoke out.
“Fine, we’ll also go out then, let young master rest for a while.” Niu Jing finished saying and then went out.
Du Xiao Li also turned around, but before she could step out, she heard Han Ming Yi call her name, and thus she stayed behind.
“What’s wrong big brother Yi?” Du Xiao Li sat down on the stool that Niu Jing had sat on just now, and looked to Han Ming Yi asking.
Han Ming Yi had called Du Xiao Li over, yet he didn’t talk, only blankly staring at the top of the mosquito net. After a long while, he finally opened his mouth and said, “Girl, my disease isn’t going to get better, right?”
“Why do you ask that?” Du Xiao Li looked to his slightly perplexed gaze, thinking to herself, perhaps because today’s mid-autumn, and his disease had acted up again at this time, that’s why on an emotional level, he would appear rather weak.
“My co–…..mother, precisely died from this disease that year.” Han Ming Yi said, “She collapsed in front of me just like that, pa.s.sing out after twitching for a while, never waking up ever again. By the time grandpa Niu rushed over, she’d already stopped breathing. Although grandpa Niu has already studied this disease for this many years, my situation is still the same as before. Will there be a day where just like mother I…..”
Sweat. This is a sick child easily letting his imagination run wild? Du Xiao Li couldn’t help thinking. Her two hands grasped Han Ming Yi’s hand, and she said, “Big brother Yi, you’re thinking too much. Your mother that year, if my guess is correct, should have died from poison.”
“Poison?” Han Ming Yi turned his head and stared at Du Xiao Li’s little face, and said somewhat confused.
“That’s right. At the time, weren’t you also poisoned? If that time, I hadn’t forced out the poison in your body, you probably would’ve long gone to see King Enma too. That’s why I’m guessing your mother must have also been poisoned, it’s just that it wasn’t discovered only.” Du Xiao Li patted Han Ming Yi’s hand and said, “But don’t you already not have poison in your body anymore, therefore you won’t die that easily! This twitching disease is due to the damages the nerves received, so it’s not easy to cure, but it’s also not incurable.”
Han Ming Yi stared at Du Xiao Li holding his hand, slightly restraining his gaze.
“When people get sick, they are more likely to think too much. How about this. I’ll sing a song for you, let you ease your feelings, how about it?” Du Xiao Li said when she saw Han Ming Yi’s look. Thinking of a twelve year old from her past life, they were still at the age where they acted spoiled in their loved one’s embrace. But he instead have to face this serious illness alone.
“Okay.” Han Ming Yi nodded.
Du Xiao Li coughed twice and began sining ‘A Little Farmer Girl’.
(T/N: Please excuse my poor attempt in translating this song. Also if you want to hear to song—click here. It’s from 1996 so vid quality is super low.)
Bamboo fences, white-edged morning glories.
The shallow pond has wild ducks.
The curvy brook coils below the mountain.
At the waist of the mountain there’s a small farming family.
Wearing a conical bamboo hat, baring one’s feet.
Playing as much as one likes by the brook.
Rolling mud, catching fish.
The farming life happy to no end.
Oh wind, oh wind, bashfully
walking down the mountain slope.
One moment in the east, one moment in the west.
One moment hiding under the gourd trellis.
Under the gourd trellis, the reddened face reflects the flying red clouds.
That is mother’s calling,
Soft and gentle,
Just like smoke from a chimney, endlessly rising in spirals.
Walking all the way, singing all the way.
Pick some wild chrysanthemum to weave into a garland in pa.s.sing.
I lift the corners of my dripping wet skirt,
Spilling behind in full circle my singing voice as I return home….
The crisp voice and cheerful lyrics made Han Ming Yi lose his thoughts, and he immediately felt quite a bit better. Seeing Du Xiao Li earnestly singing, he suddenly felt that he indeed did think too much today.
Du Xiao Li felt that these lyrics were really quite close to her current lifestyle. After she finished singing, still wishing to continue, she sung the song again once more. Han Ming Yi listened to her singing voice, seemingly able to see her playing in the mud and playing in the waters. The corner of his mouth unconsciously rosed up.
The people outside all had quite good hearing abilities, and upon hearing Du Xiao Li’s singing voice, the gloomy atmosphere that had persisted all morning was suddenly shattered.
“This girl, always makes one feel life is full of joy.” Ji Liu Feng said with a smile.
Luo Qi stood in the courtyard, suddenly thinking that if he can’t recover his memories, this kind of life was also not bad. As he thought about it, he began smiling to himself.
T/N: I’m having childhood flashbacks from that song cuz I definitely heard before it when I was a kid. And now it’s stuck in my head cuz I’d listened to it while I was translating. Also I have strong cravings for tangerine, what has this novel done to me….
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