Dandy Escapes From Marriage - Chapter 41

When the two returned home, they happened to meet the wicker craftsman who helped them feed the chickens.

“Brother, we’re back!” Liu Shu called out.

In fact, the wicker craftsman had heard their voices from afar, but he wasn’t accustomed to initiating greetings. He pretended not to hear until they spoke first, then turned his head and responded with a simple “Hmm.”

His gaze fell on their joined hands, and as a solitary man, he couldn’t help but reveal an envious look—such sincere and sweet friendship among young people.

“Thank you for these days, brother,” Shen Ke expressed gratitude.

“It’s no trouble,” the wicker craftsman pursed his lips. “Now that you’re back, I’ll head off.”

“Oh, wait a moment,” Liu Shu released Shen Ke’s hand and grabbed the wicker craftsman’s arm as he tried to slip away, smiling knowingly. “How’s it going with that girl?”

Shen Ke’s fingers suddenly lost their grip, twitching twice before he turned to check on the pomelo tree and the chicken eggs.

The wicker craftsman’s face suddenly flushed, and he turned away from them. “It’s… it’s going fine.”

“Don’t lie,” Liu Shu poked his head out and grinned mischievously. “Looks like things are progressing well.”

The wicker craftsman tightly pursed his lips.

“Well then, I’m relieved. If you need any help, feel free to come find me,” Liu Shu encouraged.

After hesitating for a moment, the wicker craftsman whispered, “She wants to come to my house, but I’m afraid she might get scared.”

“Why would she? Just tidy up your house, cook for her yourself, let her see that you can handle both the outside and inside matters, and things should be fine,” Liu Shu could tell that the girl was practical. She didn’t care much for romance; she just wanted someone reliable to live a good life with, and the wicker craftsman happened to be that kind of person.

“Really?” The wicker craftsman relaxed a bit and continued, “She also has two children, and I’m a bit afraid.”

“In that case, let’s get to the bottom of this. Do you mind if she brings the kids along?” Liu Shu chuckled. “It doesn’t bother me at all,” the wicker craftsman shook his head, confidently adding, “I’m just worried that I’m too boring, and the kids won’t like me.”

Liu Shu laughed, “That’s fine. As long as you treat her well and treat the kids as your own, they’ll naturally like you.”

Encouraged, the wicker craftsman nodded, “Okay, I understand. Thank you.”

“Well then, I won’t keep you from going home to tidy up,” Liu Shu smiled and saw him off.

After the wicker craftsman left, Liu Shu turned to find Shen Ke, squatting beside the sapling, watching Shen Ke water it, and suddenly worried, “Will this tree survive?”

Both of them couldn’t help but think of the failures in the vegetable garden.

“It’ll survive. I’ll go ask them later about tree planting methods,” Shen Ke said. Now he dared not underestimate the land. So many people in the world made a living from the land. Every step had to be taken seriously, following the natural laws step by step.

There will be rewards for effort, provided that the effort is correct.

That night, he went to the villagers’ pile to inquire about the details of planting trees. He learned that pruning, pest control, watering, and fertilizing were all necessary steps—not just planting and leaving it to fate.

“Speaking of which, a few years ago, my peach tree didn’t bear much fruit, and I was so angry that I cut it twice. I don’t know if it’s because heaven heard my grievances, but this year it’s full of fruit!” one person said.

“It’s not that heaven helped, but that you did it right,” Liu Shu added, “I’ve been to orchards before and seen many fruit trees stripped of their bark. I asked about it, and the orchardists said doing so ensures a harvest the following year.”

“Why is that?” Shen Ke was curious.

“They don’t know either; it’s just wisdom passed down through generations. They do it and it works,” Mrs. Zhu nodded along with others.

“Just like that, Shen Ke suddenly realized, as if he had found a clear goal.

Until today, his family, including himself, had always assumed they would follow the path of imperial examinations, but he never knew what he could really do if he truly became an official.

He had seen too many people succeed in the imperial examinations and then spend their entire lives compiling documents in the Hanlin Academy, where everything was clear at a glance. Those with greater abilities could rise quickly, but the higher the official position, the heavier the burden, and the more complex the interpersonal relationships. Every twelve-hour day was filled with tasks, leaving no time to care about the lives of the people.

Before this, he had studied hard in the cold window of the imperial examinations, just hoping to do something for the people. But what did the people care about the most? What were their most practical interests?

It was the land.

Late at night, after Liu Shu finished bathing, he found Shen Ke still writing by candlelight. He walked in and asked, “Why aren’t you getting ready for bed yet?”

“I’m organizing today’s notes,” Shen Ke replied.

Liu Shu glanced over and recognized the booklet summarizing crop cultivation techniques they had discussed earlier. He chuckled, “Are you preparing to become a big landowner?”

Shen Ke also smiled, “I might just end up being a farmer for the rest of my life. Is that okay?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Liu Shu leaned on the table, smiling. “You don’t mind me, a big man, doing makeup, so why should I object to you being a farmer? Besides, if we can eat rice and vegetables and fruits that you’ve grown yourself every day, that would be great!”

“Aren’t you afraid of being poor for the rest of your life?” Shen Ke asked with a smile.

“No, we have hands, feet, and brains. We’ll find a way to make money!” Liu Shu affirmed.

“You’re right,” Shen Ke dipped his brush in ink. “I still have some work to do. It’s late; you should go rest first.”

“Alright, you should get some sleep too,” Liu Shu turned and left.

Shen Ke paused with his brush, looking up at Liu Shu’s departing figure. Suddenly, he realized that now they were back home, they had separate rooms—one person per room—unlike at the inn where they naturally shared a bed.

Moments later, a scream came from the next room. Immediately after, Liu Shu rushed over urgently, “Oh no, I just drank some water and accidentally spilled it on the bed. Now it’s all wet!”

Shen Ke: “”

“What’s wrong?” Liu Shu looked at his silent expression and suddenly felt a bit guilty. He asked cautiously, “Can’t you accommodate me here?”

Shen Ke swallowed hard, “I just had tea and accidentally wet the bed too.”

Liu Shu furrowed his brows and walked over to the bed. Seeing the large wet spot, it didn’t look like something caused by spilled water; it looked more like someone deliberately poured it.

He looked at Shen Ke with a half-smile, and Shen Ke calmly said, “Looks like we’ll have to sleep on the floor tonight.”

“No need, my bed is only slightly wet, I can sleep on it.”

Liu Shu pulled him to check the adjacent room. Shen Ke looked at the fist-sized water stain on the bed and couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

So under circumstances deliberately induced by the two of them, they ended up naturally lying down together.

This bed was smaller, so their arms were next to each other. No one spoke for a while. Finally, unable to bear it, Liu Shu got up and brought a palm-leaf fan.

“It’s too hot. How can anyone sleep in this weather?”

“Or should I sleep on the floor?”

“Hey, don’t go. It’s not your fault, it’s this cursed weather!” Liu Shu quickly grabbed him and frantically fanned him. “How about this, does it feel cooler?”

“Mm.” Shen Ke took the fan and fanned him back, starting a casual conversation.

They went from discussing the eggs at home to the rouge business, then from the melons in the fields to the baked goods in the capital.

“You’re making me hungry,” Liu Shu licked his lips.

“If we have time, let’s go to the capital and eat baked goods,” Shen Ke seized the opportunity.

“It’s too far. I don’t want to go. There are baked goods in town too. I don’t want to go to the capital,” Liu Shu hesitated.

“Why don’t you like the capital?” Shen Ke was curious.

“It’s far, and I don’t have any relatives or friends there. There are too many high-ranking officials and nobles. I feel like I’m being watched every time I step out. If I make a mistake, I could offend someone at any time,” Liu Shu said.

Indeed, someone as carefree as Xiao Wu probably wouldn’t like the capital much.

“Have you been to the capital before?” Shen Ke asked casually.

“I went once, I think when I was four or five years old. My parents went to do business and visit friends, so they took me along. But I don’t really remember,” Liu Shu suddenly turned his head, grinned mischievously, “They never visited that friend again, do you know why?”

“Because I punched their precious son.”

“Why did you punch him?”

“I don’t remember anymore, and my parents didn’t know either. By the time they found out, we were both bruised and swollen.”

“It’s normal for kids around four or five years old to fight.”

“Yeah, but my parents probably felt guilty and a bit scared too. I heard that family was high-ranking officials, and they were afraid they might come after me. So, actually, I’m afraid that if I go to the capital one day, I might run into them. What if they come looking to settle scores with me?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone bully you.” Shen Ke held his hand.

They locked eyes for a moment, and Liu Shu said, “With the atmosphere like this, isn’t it inappropriate if we don’t kiss?”

Shen Ke chuckled softly, leaned towards him, and kissed his lips.

Underneath the blanket was dry straw, making rustling sounds that somewhat disrupted the atmosphere. They kissed and laughed together. Liu Shu said, “Once we earn some money, the first thing we’ll do is replace this bed!”

“Yeah, and knock down this wall too.”

The next day, Shen Ke had a rare day off from copying books in town, so he went into the mountains with Liu Shu. One picked flowers while the other looked at trees, each busy with their own tasks. Occasionally, they would call out loudly if they wandered too far.

After half a day passed in haste, Liu Shu shouted towards the direction of the mountain, “A Ke, I’m a bit hungry!”

“Let’s go, back home!”

“Okay!”

They returned home, and after Liu Shu lit the fire, he only needed to add some firewood occasionally. He went to arrange the flowers they had picked today, took Shen Ke’s medicine pestle, and pounded flower juice at the doorstep of the hall.

Before long, there was a polite knock on the courtyard door.

Liu Shu was puzzled because such polite knocking clearly wasn’t characteristic of villagers who usually just shouted. He got up and walked to the edge of the courtyard wall, peeking out to see two unfamiliar men standing at the door, looking up and meeting his gaze.

“Who are you?”

“We’re passing by and wanted to ask Little Brother here for some water. Is that okay?” the tall man asked cheerfully.

Liu Shu quickly scanned them. They were dressed in luxurious clothes, with handsome features and polite manners. They didn’t seem like bad people, so he turned to open the door and casually picked up the nearby cudgel, just in case.

“Who’s there?” Shen Ke heard visitors outside and instinctively thought it was his elder brother. He went out to check, only to realize they were strangers.

“They’re passing by and asking for water,” Liu Shu replied.

Shen Ke’s gaze paused on the two casually confident men. One was tall and handsome, and the other was refined and noble. Both looked ageless. He smiled slightly, “Please come in, it’s too hot outside.”

The two followed behind Liu Shu into the house. When they entered, they saw the pot for grinding medicine. The quiet man suddenly asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Making rouge,” Liu Shu replied.

The man raised his eyes and unexpectedly glanced at him. Liu Shu couldn’t help but look at him a few more times.

“Do you know how to make rouge?”

“Yeah, but it’s been a long time since I’ve done it. I’m not sure if I can still do it well.”

The man seemed quite curious, paused, and stood nearby, watching him, waiting for his next move.

Liu Shu misunderstood his intentions and stared blankly at him for a while, saying, “Although you’re handsome, you can’t just keep staring at me like this, it’s awkward.”

Just as he finished speaking, Shen Ke and the tall man walked over at the same time, looking surprised and cautiously eyeing the two strangers.

The man: “”

“The tea is ready, please have some tea,” Shen Ke politely said.

The man nodded, turned, and went to the table, with the tall man following closely behind.

“The porridge is almost ready. I’ll check the pot. You entertain them first,” Shen Ke whispered to Xiao Wu.

“Okay.” Liu Shu sat down opposite them and kept staring at them, scrutinizing them with piercing eyes, recognizing the clothes they wore as belonging to the Li family in the capital.

“In the world of business, everyone knows about the Liu family in Jiangnan and the Li family in the capital, both dominating their respective regions as the wealthiest merchants.

The Liu family has a broader range of business, often catering to ordinary households.

However, the Li family’s influence in the capital is intricate and deeply rooted, backed by the Regent Prince, a formidable supporter. Therefore, their businesses mostly serve the nobility and officials; commoners either can’t afford their products or may not even have access to them despite their wealth.

Fortunately, the Li family has no intention of monopolizing nationwide business. They concentrate their operations in the north, allowing both families to thrive peacefully.

These two individuals are definitely not simple. Either they are fabulously wealthy, especially the fair-skinned man dressed in luxurious attire, showing no intention of being discreet. Every gesture and word exude the demeanor of someone of high status. Even the tall man defers to him, indicating he holds a higher position.

Quickly assessing the situation, Liu Shu asked, “How did you come to this remote place?”

“We are traveling around and happened to pass through here,” replied the tall man cheerfully.

“Are you friends? Why didn’t you bring your wives or family?”

“Why wouldn’t I bring them? He is right here,” the tall man nodded towards the person drinking tea beside him.

Liu Shu was surprised. Seeing the man not denying it, he exclaimed joyfully, “Really? How long have you been together?”

“Fifteen years.”

“Fifteen years!? That’s amazing, truly amazing!”

“You’re too kind.”

“Wait a moment.” Liu Shu immediately ran to the kitchen to report to Shen Ke, “A Ke, they’ve been together for fifteen years! That means we can too, right? Not just fifteen years, but fifty, a hundred years!”

“Yeah,” Shen Ke chuckled softly. “Yes.”

Excitedly, Liu Shu ran back out to continue chatting. He said to the tall man, “Brother, you’re like a real brother to me, can you teach me?”

“Teach what?”

“Teach me how to…” Oops, he already has someone, so what else should he do?

Liu Shu’s eyes rolled, and he shuffled over to their bench, squeezing next to the tall man. He covered his mouth and was about to ask something confidential when suddenly there was a loud thump beside him.

They both turned to see the fair-skinned man had been jostled off the bench, landing on the ground with tea spilling.

The man lifted his eyes and looked at them expressionlessly, as if observing two pigs about to be slaughtered for Chinese New Year.

“…”

Liu Shu was terrified, whimpering.

The next moment, the tall man picked up the man sitting on the ground, patted the dust off his backside, and then stomped his foot on the ground vigorously. “This ground is really hard. How can it be so unforgiving! Don’t be angry; I’ve avenged you.”

“Huh, that’s not how you avenge,” the fair-skinned man sneered twice, grabbed his ear, and pulled him out. “Get out of here.”

Liu Shu watched as the tall man was dragged out for a private scolding, trembling with fear. He quickly ran into the kitchen and hugged Shen Ke tightly, “Wuwuwu, you’re still the gentlest and the best!”