Dandy Escapes From Marriage - Chapter 30

Liu Shu changed back into his own clothes, removed the hairpin from his head, tied up his hair, washed his face, and went out to find Shen Ke, looking fresh and clean.

 

“How did you recognize me? Even my parents couldn’t tell at a glance. How did you do it?”

 

Standing outside the door, Shen Ke watched as Liu Shu ran up to him, slightly tilting his head. With water droplets still on his face, he asked with a smile.

 

“The eyes,” Shen Ke replied with a smile, turning to walk out with him.

 

“The eyes? I put a lot of effort into my eye makeup, making it as intricate and elaborate as possible to divert attention,” Liu Shu said in surprise.

 

“And your height.”

 

“My height is indeed a bit tall for an average woman, but it doesn’t completely rule out the possibility of a tall beauty.”

 

Shen Ke silently smiled, not mentioning that the height comparison was because he had Zhang Moyang as a reference.

 

Earlier, when Shen Ke turned back, he noticed that this “woman” was about the same height as Zhang Moyang. This similarity immediately reminded him of the times he had seen Xiao Wu and Zhang Moyang walking arm in arm, raising his suspicion. He returned to confirm it again.

 

Upon seeing those bright and clear eyes, he recognized the unique eyes he had gazed into countless times.

 

On the way home, Liu Shu didn’t hide anything and briefly recounted the day’s events. Shen Ke asked, “Could there be any danger?”

 

“Of course there is.”

 

Shen Ke was surprised and heard Liu Shu bragging, “Seeing me in women’s clothing is dangerous.”

 

“Not just Fang Qiong, even that monk Huishang was mesmerized by me.” Liu Shu laughed heartily. Suddenly, he turned to Shen Ke, unwillingly asking, “Why weren’t you mesmerized?”

 

Initially, Liu Shu feared Shen Ke would fall for his female disguise, but now that he saw Shen Ke unaffected, he felt a bit dejected: “You’re really… too hard to seduce!”

 

“Say something.”

 

“Say what?”

 

“How can I seduce you?”

 

This question was so outrageous that Shen Ke couldn’t help but laugh: “… How would I know?”

 

Liu Shu sighed deeply, pondered for a moment, then made up his mind: “It’s okay, I have plenty of time. I’ll stick with you.”

 

“What if I fall for someone else?” Shen Ke asked curiously.

 

Liu Shu paused for a moment: “Then you should restrain yourself and not like anyone else!”

 

Shen Ke was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

 

By the time they got home, it was just getting dark. They reheated the leftovers from the inn and had a satisfying meal.

 

Liu Shu remarked, “Fang Qiong is really generous with women. Maybe next time I’ll fleece him hard and buy some clothes…”

 

Shen Ke gave him a cold look: “Do you remember you’re doing this to help Zhang Mosheng?”

 

“Of course, just taking advantage along the way.” Liu Shu said righteously.

 

“Then how is what you’re saying any different from selling your looks?”

 

“Are you saying I’m beautiful?” Liu Shu diverted the topic.

 

“Alright, alright, I won’t fleece him hard. Just a little, okay? He’s quite willing anyway,” Liu Shu said innocently.

 

Shen Ke turned his head away, not looking at him, and said, “You manage it yourself.”

 

Liu Shu laughed and went to chase the chickens into the coop. Hearing the lively laughter from a distance, he couldn’t help but want to join the fun. He dragged Shen Ke towards Sister Xiang’s house, only to find that it wasn’t just chatting, but several families gathered together to shuck corn.

 

The yard was filled with corn brought back from the fields. About a dozen people sat under the eaves, with thick ropes hanging from the beams. They skillfully shucked the corn, removed the silk, and wrapped it around the ropes. Once a whole rope was filled, the corn was hung up, creating a rather spectacular scene.

 

“What are you doing?” Liu Shu asked curiously.

 

“Drying corn,” Sister Xiang replied. “This way it’s easier to store. Once dried, it can be used as feed for pigs and chickens.”

 

“It can also feed chickens?” Liu Shu suddenly craved the corn they were handling.

 

“Yes. You didn’t plant any, did you? How about you help out a bit, and once it’s dried, I’ll give you a few bags of corn kernels.”

 

“Great!”

 

The two of them sat down, learned how to do it, and then started working. Their movements were very clumsy, making everyone laugh.

 

Once they got the hang of it, Liu Shu finally managed to join in their conversation while continuing with the task.

 

Sister Xiang: “Hey, did you hear? That kid from the Li family wanted to take a concubine and got beaten up by his wife. He doesn’t dare to bring it up again.”

 

Liu Shu: “I haven’t heard about it. Tell us more.”

 

Sister Xiang: “When he got married, he promised never to take a concubine, but just two years later, he had such thoughts. He deserved to be beaten.”

 

Liu Shu: “Serves him right.”

 

Sister Xiang: “Besides, his family isn’t wealthy. Bringing another woman home and having a bunch of kids, how would they even manage?”

 

Liu Shu: “Exactly.”

 

Sister Xiang: “What is it with you men? Always eyeing other women while already having one at home, constantly thinking about taking concubines?”

 

Liu Shu: “You’re wrong, sister. Not all men think like that. I, for one, don’t want a concubine.”

 

Sister Xiang: “Really?”

 

“Absolutely!” Liu Shu glanced at Shen Ke beside him and raised his voice deliberately, “I, Xiao Wu, a real man, will only marry one person in my lifetime!”

 

“Oh, you are such a good man,” Sister Xiang praised.

 

“Yes, yes, I’m very good.” Liu Shu leaned close to Shen Ke’s ear and almost shouted.

 

Shen Ke: “…”

 

“What kind of person do you want to marry?” Sister Xiang started thinking about matchmaking. She used to think this kid was too pretty but not strong enough, so no one wanted to introduce him to any potential matches. But now everyone knew he was good at archery and could at least make a living hunting. So, he was worth considering.

 

“I want to marry someone kind-hearted and good-looking,” Liu Shu replied immediately.

 

Sister Xiang: “My cousin fits that description. Do you have any other conditions?”

 

Liu Shu: “Someone who doesn’t cook well and is tall.”

 

Sister Xiang and the others were stunned: “You actually want someone who doesn’t cook well?!”

 

“Yes.” Liu Shu proudly glanced at Shen Ke, noticing his suddenly tense expression. Realizing his mistake, he quickly corrected himself, “No, no, I mean someone who cooks very well! Whatever they cook, I love it!”

 

“That’s more like it. Which man would specifically want someone who can’t cook? And how tall do you want her to be?” Sister Xiang asked.

 

“Taller than me.”

 

Everyone: “??????!!”

 

“I really don’t have any girls who meet your criteria,” Sister Xiang said, feeling heartbroken. “You handsome young men are so unique, with such peculiar standards for choosing a partner.”

 

“It’s alright, sister. I’ll find someone myself,” Liu Shu said with a smile.

 

“Well, good luck. I hope there’s someone out there who fits your criteria.”

 

“There definitely is, absolutely!”

 

The next day, Shen Ke didn’t need to go to town. Zhang Moyang’s tutor had something come up and took a few days off, so Shen Ke had some free time.

 

Since they were at home, they had to prepare lunch themselves. Shen Ke picked up a basket, ready to go out. Liu Shu immediately followed, “Where are you going?”

 

“To pick some tomatoes.”

 

“Right, we’ve been growing them for so long, but we haven’t checked on them yet.”

 

When they reached the vegetable garden, they were dumbfounded. Half of the tomatoes were dried up, and the rest were very small, nothing like the big, juicy tomatoes from Aunt Zhu’s garden.

 

“This one is even rotten,” Liu Shu said, picking a tomato and feeling distressed. He had planted these seeds himself. “Why is it like this?”

 

Shen Ke turned to check the pumpkins, which were also in poor condition. The pumpkin vines were nearly dead, and the pumpkins themselves hadn’t grown properly. The carrots were no better; after digging through a patch, they barely found a few edible ones.

 

The cucumbers were in slightly better shape. Though a bit shriveled, at least they were edible.

 

At lunch, the two of them ate shredded carrots and cucumber salad, feeling a mix of emotions. They were happy to have harvested their own produce but sad about the poor yield.

 

“Did we miss a step?” Liu Shu asked.

 

“Maybe. I’ll ask around this afternoon.”

 

### After eating, Liu Shu felt sleepy and went to his room to take a nap.

 

Shen Ke, braving the scorching sun, went to Aunt Zhu’s house with the failed crops to ask about the reasons for their poor growth.

 

Aunt Zhu asked, “Did you fertilize, water, and weed them?”

 

“We watered them a bit when we planted them, but after that, we didn’t water them again, and we didn’t fertilize or weed them at all.”

 

“That’s not right. Growing crops isn’t child’s play; it’s like raising children. Once they’re born, you have to take good care of them. It’s our livelihood, and every step—plowing, fertilizing, planting, watering, and weeding—has to be done properly. You can’t just neglect them,” Aunt Zhu explained.

 

Shen Ke quickly agreed and asked, “Could you explain the planting process in detail?”

 

Aunt Zhu, while shelling corn, explained the details. Besides the previous points, she also talked about the importance of timing, weather, soil temperature, and humidity.

 

Shen Ke realized it was a significant subject and carefully memorized everything. When he got home, he wrote it all down, and then went to Sister Xiang and others to inquire further. He found that the general methods were similar, but there were some differences in the details, such as the choice of fertilizers. Some used chicken or cow manure, while others, for convenience, would just urinate in the field. The results varied accordingly.

 

“Ke, it’s almost dark. What are you writing?” Liu Shu asked, running into his room.

 

“I’m taking notes. Growing crops involves so much. I want to organize everything,” Shen Ke replied.

 

“Then I’ll go cook,” Liu Shu said, seeing how engrossed he was in writing. He went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

 

After eating, Shen Ke offered to help the villagers with shelling corn.

 

The villagers helped each other. Yesterday, they were at Sister Xiang’s house; today, they were at the bamboo craftsman’s house. Since he didn’t have many crops, they weren’t in a rush and chatted leisurely.

 

Last night, Liu Shu had been chatting non-stop with them. Tonight, it was Shen Ke’s turn. He kept asking about farming, and everyone was eager to answer. This was their area of expertise, and they were more than willing to share.

 

After two busy days, the two of them set off for the town again. Liu Shu slipped into Zhang Moyang’s outer residence and emerged transformed into a stunningly beautiful woman.

 

Shen Ke watched from a distance. Although Liu Shu was undeniably beautiful, his cold demeanor was hard to get used to, especially since it contrasted sharply with his usual carefree and rebellious nature.

 

Liu Shu went to the restaurant where Fang Qiong had invited him. It wasn’t long before a servant brought Fang Qiong over.

 

“Miss, you were hard to find! I thought I’d never see you again!” Fang Qiong rushed in eagerly, wanting to hug Liu Shu, but was stopped by his gaze. Holding back his excitement, Fang Qiong sat beside him and said affectionately, “I’ve missed you so much these past days. I think of you day and night, unable to eat or sleep. Have you thought of me, even for a moment?”

 

“Can you carry a sack of rice now?” Liu Shu asked indifferently.

 

Seeing that Liu Shu didn’t respond to his feelings, Fang Qiong knew he was shy and smiled, “I’ve been training hard these days and can finally carry rice sacks and lift cauldrons!”

 

“Really?”

 

“Absolutely!” Fang Qiong rolled up his sleeves, showing bruises on his arms. “Look, these are proof of my efforts for you. If you still don’t believe me, come and see; I’ll carry it for you personally!”

 

“No need, I believe you.”

 

Fang Qiong was overjoyed, nervously and excitedly looking at Liu Shu, “Can I propose to you now?”

 

Liu Shu nodded subtly, “Come tomorrow. I sneaked out today and my father will punish me when I return. You should propose quickly, but don’t mention we’ve met, or he won’t agree.”

 

“Got it. I’ll tell your father I’ve admired you for a long time.”

 

“My father values etiquette. He’s already promised me to a wealthy gentleman, so if you propose yourself, you might get kicked out. It’s better to have a matchmaker do it. As for the betrothal gifts…”

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll follow your advice. The betrothal gifts will definitely be better than that gentleman’s!”

 

“With that assurance, I feel at ease.” Liu Shu put on his veil reluctantly, “Don’t disappoint me. If you don’t come tomorrow, I’ll have to marry the gentleman the day after.”

 

“It’s a deal. Wait for me!” Fang Qiong, moved by Liu Shu’s sincerity, asked, “Now, will you tell me your name and where I should propose?”

 

“Chen Yinglian from Chenjia Village,” Liu Shu replied as he left. “I’ll go back now and wait for your good news.”

 

“Yinglian~~~”

 

On the second floor, Zhang Moyang, his sister, and Shen Ke stood by the window, watching Liu Shu walk down the street. Fang Qiong chased after him, trying to get handsy. Zhang Moyang quickly pulled out a slingshot and shot at Fang Qiong’s hand.

 

“Who ambushed me!?” Fang Qiong yelled, turning around.

 

The three at the window quickly ducked and hid.

 

“Where did you get a slingshot?” Shen Ke asked quietly.

 

“Xiao Wu gave it to me,” Zhang Moyang replied.

 

Shen Ke stared at the slingshot for a moment and then said, “Let me try.”

 

“Can you use it?” Zhang Moyang handed it over, doubtful.

 

Shen Ke said nothing, pulled the slingshot, and aimed at Fang Qiong.

 

“Oh no,” Liu Shu muttered, almost swearing out loud, nearly blowing his cover. Luckily, Fang Qiong was still looking around and didn’t notice him. Liu Shu touched his back and said in a delicate voice, “Who ambushed me?”

 

“What? They even dare to hit you?” Fang Qiong, furious, ordered his servants to search around and started looking himself.

 

Shen Ke: “…”

 

Zhang Moyang squatted by the window, looking at him with disdain.