Dandy Escapes From Marriage - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

The breakfast eggs were finally not overcooked, but they were too old, and the egg whites were wrinkled like the wrinkles on Liu Shu’s grandfather’s face, which didn’t look very appetizing.

 

“Eat up, these are the last two eggs we have at home,” Shen Ke offered.

 

It was truly a heart-wrenching situation, and seeing it brought tears to one’s eyes, while swallowing it broke one’s heart.

 

Hearing this, Liu Shu, who had been silent, would appear ungrateful if he didn’t eat. He took a few bites in succession, choked on his throat, and punched his chest a few times before reluctantly swallowing it down with the tea that Shen Ke handed to him.

 

He wondered whether he would starve to death on the road or be poisoned by food here, which one would come faster.

 

“Your family doesn’t even have eggs left now?” After a difficult breakfast, Liu Shu asked while sipping his tea.

 

Shen Ke nodded.

 

This time, it was Liu Shu’s turn to sigh. How could someone who used to be so handsome and charming end up so poor?

 

He couldn’t understand.

 

Then, when he thought about his own family’s situation, he suddenly realized—turns out, he wasn’t born into a fortunate family!

 

“Where are your parents?” Liu Shu looked around and asked, “Why are you living here alone?”

 

Shen Ke lowered his head slowly, pondering how to explain. Finally, he chose a point and said, “I separated from them. They disregarded my wishes and made decisions about my life without my consent.”

 

“For example?”

 

For example, he was suddenly informed by his parents that he had a prearranged marriage, which was supposed to take place within the next year, but he didn’t want to mention this to outsiders.

 

Furthermore, to avoid being found by his family, he couldn’t mention his background either. After some thought, he recalled other past experiences: “For example, I don’t eat garlic, but they would sneakily put garlic in my bowl, claiming it was to build up resistance to poison.”

 

“They were ruthless with the garlic!” Liu Shu sympathized.

 

“I was frail as a child and didn’t want to exercise at all. So, they used to take the books I had to read to the east street every day, and I had to run for half an hour to get them back.”

 

“Why did you have to run? Couldn’t you just hire a carriage or sedan chair?” Liu Shu blinked, looking puzzled.

 

An eerie silence fell upon them.

 

“Oh, I understand now. You didn’t have the money to hire a sedan chair!” Liu Shu offered a self-explanatory explanation.

 

“Yes,” Shen Ke immediately went along with the explanation, not wanting to admit that he had been easily tricked by his parents into running all the way to retrieve his books.

 

“But you seem delicate, not like someone who has done heavy labor,” Liu Shu commented.

 

Shen Ke’s heart raced for a moment, and he was about to come up with an excuse when Liu Shu suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, I see. You’re an academic, right? That’s why you didn’t have the time and energy for manual labor!”

 

Shen Ke wiped away some cold sweat. “You’re right.”

 

The sun was already rising outside, indicating good weather. Shen Ke shouldered his basket and prepared to go herb picking.

 

“Stay here and rest. I’ll be back,” Shen Ke said.

 

“You’re just leaving me here alone like that?” Liu Shu asked with a smile.

 

“There’s nothing valuable here. If there’s anything you want to take, feel free.”

 

Liu Shu glanced around and realized there wasn’t anything worth stealing, just a basket full of books. Even if they were given to him for free, he would find them too heavy to carry.

 

He sat on a chair, feeling quite bored, and strangely nostalgic for the days when he was the center of attention at home.

 

Should he go back?

 

No, no, he couldn’t do that. His father would definitely insist on sending him to the capital, especially since the other party was a high-ranking official. His father couldn’t and wouldn’t refuse such an opportunity. If he ran away now, it would make him seem unreliable, and the engagement might be canceled in anger.

 

He hoped the other family wouldn’t cause trouble for his parents. Even if they did, he had two brothers-in-law who were local officials; they should take care of his parents.

 

With these thoughts in mind, he couldn’t return home right now. He needed to wait and see how things unfolded.

 

His current situation was tight on all fronts—tight finances, tight schedule, tight pants, and even a furrowed brow. Wasn’t this what people referred to as being in a “fourfold tight spot”?

 

This remote location had sparse population, making it an ideal hiding place. If he could stay here for some time, recover from his injuries, and evade pursuit, it would be the best option.

 

Moreover, the host here was a kind person. If he acted a bit pitiful and offered to help around this rundown house, they should be willing to accommodate him, right?

 

As the sun slowly rose, it got hot. He picked up a fan to cool himself and loosened his collar to let in some air. He was wearing the clothes borrowed from Shen Ke; his own clothes had been changed and were currently soaking in a tub.

 

Thinking of this, he rushed to the kitchen and found his clothes still soaking in a wooden tub next to the water tank.

 

At this moment, he began to miss the dozens of maids and servants at home. Whenever he opened his mouth, someone would promptly bring him the clothes he needed, neatly laundered. He didn’t have to do it himself like he was doing now, squatting in a corner, scrubbing with his own hands!

 

After a few scrubs, he considered them clean enough and hung them outside on a line.

 

The gate creaked, and Shen Ke returned with a basket on his back, holding a small hoe in his hand. He took off his straw hat, revealing his head: “You washed your clothes?”

 

“Yeah, otherwise, I wouldn’t have anything to wear.” Liu Shu clapped his hands and, tiptoeing, peered into Shen Ke’s basket. “Did you gather the herbs?”

 

“Mm.”

 

The sun outside was scorching, and Shen Ke casually placed his straw hat on Liu Shu’s head, then glanced at the clothes that were still dripping water. “…Did you forget to wring them out?”

 

“Wring them out?”

 

Shen Ke took the clothes off the line, and with both hands, he squeezed them tightly. Excess water dripped from the folds, splashing onto the ground and onto the cracks in Liu Shu’s broken heart.

 

“So that’s how it’s done?!” he exclaimed in amazement.

 

Shen Ke looked at him curiously and teased, “I’m really curious, why did your father send you to a wealthy household? Aren’t you afraid of causing trouble for the master?”

 

“It’s not like they sold me off to be a servant, or else wouldn’t it be a waste of my good looks?” Liu Shu replied.

 

Shen Ke raised an eyebrow and once again examined his features. Under the straw hat, his face appeared even more delicate and charming, likely to evoke a protective instinct in others. Shen Ke suddenly realized, “Did some wealthy lady take a liking to you?”

 

Liu Shu didn’t know how to respond. After all, that ill-fated engagement had been arranged by two noblewomen. In a way, he had indeed caught the eye of a wealthy lady, hadn’t he?

 

He scratched his head and accidentally scratched the straw hat, which made Shen Ke laugh.

 

“I haven’t even met that wealthy lady, but I can’t imagine she’s a good person if she set her sights on me! Disgusting!” Liu Shu muttered.

 

“Where are you from?” Shen Ke asked. If he was from the capital or nearby, he could write a letter and ask a friend to help with something.

 

“I’m from Jiangnan.”

 

Shen Ke sighed. Jiangnan was too far away, and he didn’t have any connections there. Recently, he had only established a relationship with one family.

 

“Do you know a family with the surname…”

 

“Surname what?”

 

Was it Liu, Niu, or something else?

 

Which family was it that his mother had mentioned after drinking that night?

 

Oh well, it didn’t matter. They were unlikely to have any future interactions, and besides, Jiangnan was so vast that someone like Liu Shu, a commoner, might not even know them.

 

“Do you want to find someone? If you tell me the name, maybe I can help.”

 

“I don’t even know the name. Forget it, you go back to your room. I’ll prepare something, and I’ll give you some medicine later.”

 

“Alright.” Liu Shu immediately returned to his room. He took off his pants and flopped onto the bed like a fish struggling to get back to water, eagerly awaiting rescue.

 

In another room, Shen Ke consulted a medical book, prepared the medicine, and then began to grind it in a mortar.

 

Thud, thud, thud…

 

Listening to the rhythmic pounding sounds coming from the neighboring room, Liu Shu began to feel drowsy. His eyelids drooped, but he soon noticed a change in the sound.

 

Thud, thud, thud…

 

Even the process of grinding medicine had a sense of rhythm!

 

He sat up abruptly, adding his own vocalizations to the rhythmic beat, “Yo-yo-yo.”

 

Thud, thud, yo—thud, thud, yo—

 

Suddenly, the sounds from the neighboring room stopped.

 

All that could be heard were some light tapping noises.

 

Liu Shu also paused, puzzled, and noticed the tapping sounds.

 

“What’s going on?” He panickedly pulled on his pants, not even fastening the belt, and rushed out of the room to ask Shen Ke next door, “Is it haunted?”

 

“It should be someone knocking at the door.” Shen Ke looked down at his hands, stained with medicinal juices. “I’m currently busy. Could you please open the door for me?”

 

Liu Shu went outside, still adjusting his belt, and opened the door to be met with a blinding sight.

 

A bald head, so shiny it could reflect sunlight.

 

The bald head tilted up to reveal a fair face, somewhat delicate-looking, and appeared quite young, yet carried a solemn expression. “Long time no see, Brother Ke. Why do your eyelids seem looser than before?”

 

Liu Shu: “…”

 

He either had poor eyesight, mistook the person entirely, or both!

 

“It’s Hui Shang, please come in.” Shen Ke called through the window.

 

The monk with the monastic name Hui Shang glanced at Shen Ke and then turned his gaze towards Liu Shu. “So, who is this benefactor?”

 

“I’m called Xiao Wu.”

 

“Ah.” Hui Shang nodded, extending his palm and gently touching Liu Shu’s forehead, “Xiao Wu, I can see that your brow is darkened, your lips are cracked, your tongue is parched, and your eyes reveal a troubled spirit. Clearly, something is troubling your heart.”

 

“You’ve got it all right? I’ve been having a really rough time lately!” Liu Shu exclaimed in surprise, touching his face. “Master, what should I do?”

 

Whether it’s squandering wealth when you have it or turning to Buddhism when you don’t, Young Master Liu could adapt to any situation.

 

“Fear not. The venerable one has a few talismans here. Take one and affix it above your room’s door, and carry the other two with you. They will ward off calamities and misfortunes, turning danger into safety.”

 

“That’s wonderful! Please give me the talismans.”

 

“Sure, sure.” Hui Shang took out three talismans from his scripture bag and handed them over. However, as he passed them, he suddenly paused, looking at Liu Shu and said, word by word, “Three coins for one talisman, ensuring your lifelong health and happiness.”

 

“Three coins for lifelong happiness?!” Liu Shu had never heard of anything so affordable. Normally, he would give beggars dozens of coins without a second thought. If only he had known, he could have used the money to buy talismans!

 

“That’s right.” Hui Shang’s eyes shimmered with expectation.

 

“This is unbelievably cheap!” Liu Shu exclaimed excitedly. “But I have no money.”

 

Hui Shang’s smile froze.

 

“I’m serious, I don’t have a single coin.” Liu Shu patted his empty clothes. “How about this, let me owe you for now, and when I become wealthy in the future, I’ll give you a hundred taels.”

 

Hui Shang walked into the courtyard. “Are you trying to deceive me?”

 

Shen Ke chuckled and told the man outside the window, “He really doesn’t have any money.”

 

“Fine, fine. I see. He looks just like you, not an ordinary person, but who knew he’d be so poor. Maybe my fortune-telling skills are lacking?” Hui Shang paid no more attention to the poor man and stepped inside the house. He saw Shen Ke grinding medicine and sighed with regret. “Unfortunately, I arrived too late. Have you already taken the medicine? Are you starting the treatment?”

 

Liu Shu followed suit, hearing this comment, and joked, “So, Master, you’re also aware of his use of medicine to rescue his cooking skills?”

 

Shen Ke smiled helplessly. “He’s just here to freeload.”

 

“What freeload? That’s called spreading good karma,” Hui Shang corrected their terminology seriously.

 

Shen Ke put the pestle aside and said, “I haven’t eaten yet. This medicine is for Xiao Wu.”

 

“Medicine?” Hui Shang turned to Liu Shu and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

 

Liu Shu pointed to his rear end. When he was pulled down from the horse by the bandits, he had taken quite a fall and bruised his backside.

 

“May I take a look?”

 

“Absolutely not.” Liu Shu immediately covered his rear end and pointed at the unlicensed “doctor” inside. “Only he can examine it.”

 

Hui Shang raised an eyebrow, recalling how the courtyard door had opened earlier, revealing the person inside hastily fastening his pants. His eyes widened as he continuously looked back and forth between the two of them.

 

“Brother Ke, you should be more gentle,” Hui Shang said with a grave expression.

 

Hearing this, both Shen Ke and Liu Shu immediately rejected in unison, “It’s not what you think!”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Shen Ke said, “I didn’t hit him; he was beaten by bandits.”

 

Liu Shu added, “Oh, that’s right. It was the bandits who did it.”

 

Shen Ke looked at him suddenly. “Huh?”

 

Liu Shu immediately shut his mouth and whistled innocently while looking up at the thatched roof. “Shh…”