Dandy Escapes From Marriage - Chapter 8

“Is there a possibility that Young Master Liu is inherently charming, outstanding in demeanor, graceful, and able to move freely without being captivated by any woman?” After reciting what he had learned in life, Liu Shu cleared his throat and declared, “Perhaps he believes there’s no woman more beautiful than him who can captivate him, so he can wander through a sea of flowers without being touched by a single leaf?”

 

“Not possible,” Mrs. Zhu replied.

 

“…Just a moment ago, you were praising me for being the most handsome. Women’s words are indeed deceiving.”

 

“No, no man can completely avoid romantic entanglements, especially a wealthy young master like him,” Mrs. Zhu’s husband chimed in. “Unless he has some issues, like a hidden illness.”

 

Several other men agreed, “That’s right.”

 

Liu Shu was surprised, “A hidden illness?”

 

“Yes. Men understand men the best, right?” Mrs. Zhu looked at the men, and they nodded in agreement.

 

Liu Shu exclaimed, “Impossible!”

 

…Or is it?

 

Liu Shu became perplexed, recalling the times he went to the brothel with his brothers, all of them enjoying the company of women, while he sat alone in a room listening to music and watching performances. Could it be that he was the only one truly appreciating the music and dance?

 

The questioning gazes from the courtesans, wavering between wanting to speak and holding back, might not be expressions of shyness but rather doubts about his abilities, pitying him for his hidden ailment?

 

Liu Shu stood up abruptly. “Young man, what’s wrong? Did the bench scorch your bottom?” Mrs. Zhu asked with concern.

 

“It’s getting late, I need to go rest. Until next time!” Liu Shu turned and quickly walked out of the courtyard. Once he felt no one was paying attention, he sprinted all the way back.

 

“What happened? Why are you in such a hurry?” Shen Ke, who was washing clothes in the courtyard, saw him rush in like a gust of wind, and after a moment, Liu Shu slowly walked back, looking at him with hesitation.

 

“What’s wrong?” Shen Ke asked again.

 

Liu Shu scratched his head, unable to ask the question on his mind, so he decided to squat down and help Shen Ke with the laundry.

 

“Where did you go to have fun?” Shen Ke picked a melon seed shell from his sleeve.

 

“To the house where sunflowers are planted.”

 

“That’s Sun’s sister’s place.”

 

“Oh, I went there, quite lively hehehe.”

 

“Yes, they have the most melon seeds. Everyone likes to go to their place to cool off and snack on melon seeds in the evening.” Shen Ke said.

 

“Why didn’t you go?”

 

“I’m not used to it,” Shen Ke smiled. “They are too friendly; I find it a bit overwhelming.”

 

“What’s difficult about that? Just speak politely to people and speak nonsense when needed. It’s a good way to pass the time.”

 

Liu Shu never had social troubles, but Shen Ke was different. In his childhood, due to his frail health, he mostly stayed in his mansion, with his elder brother handling social interactions. He spent his days immersed in books, rarely interacting with outsiders.

 

If not for this journey to see the outside world, he might still be that bookish recluse who doesn’t distinguish the five grains… Wait, does he even distinguish the five grains now?

 

Oh well.

 

“Why are you sighing?” Liu Shu asked.

 

“I sigh for my lack of talent to contribute to the world, entering the mortal realm for so many years in vain,” Shen Ke sighed deeply.

 

Liu Shu remained silent for a moment. “…Say it in plain language.”

 

“I’m useless.”

 

“Sigh.”

 

“What are you sighing about now?”

 

“Sitting on a numb butt.”

 

Shen Ke laughed and stood up, placing a stool behind him. “Have a seat.”

 

“What about the clothes?”

 

“I’ll wash them.” Shen Ke finished washing the clothes and hung them on the rope to dry.

 

“A person who can wash clothes can’t be considered useless,” Liu Shu said, legs crossed. “My father once told me a saying: ‘Born with a talent, bound to be useful; even if a thousand gold pieces are scattered, they will return.'”

 

Hearing him using this saying to encourage himself, Shen Ke felt warmth but also a bit amused. In the next moment, Liu Shu confidently continued, “It means that businessmen should not be discouraged by temporary losses. A smile can turn adversity into a fortune. There’s nothing a smile can’t solve.”

 

“…?”

 

In one sentence, he made a man question if he wasted ten years studying in seclusion.

 

Late at night, unable to sleep due to the events of the evening, Liu Shu tossed and turned. Finally, he decided to get up and go outside for some fresh air. However, he noticed a faint light coming from the adjacent room through the door crack.

 

He knocked on the door, heard a “please come in,” and pushed it open. He found Shen Ke reading by candlelight. Carefully entering, he spoke in a low voice as if afraid of disturbing him, “It’s so late, and you’re still reading. Medical books?”

 

“No,” Shen Ke showed him the book cover.

 

“I can’t understand it. I get dizzy from characters,” Liu Shu waved his hand.

 

Shen Ke chuckled softly, his gaze returning to the book.

 

As candle wax dripped down, gradually solidifying into irregular shapes at the end of the candle, Liu Shu leaned on the table, staring at the wax for a long time. Several times he looked up, but Shen Ke showed no signs of drowsiness. Liu Shu couldn’t help but admire his concentration. Curious, he asked, “Why don’t you participate in the imperial examination?”

 

Shen Ke’s eyes flickered slightly, knowing that by now, he should have already headed to the examination hall. Unfortunately, he was no longer in the capital, and his recent experiences diminished his eagerness for the imperial examination. More precisely, the urgency was not as strong.

 

“It’s not the right time now,” Shen Ke said.

 

In the capital, the powerful and influential gathered, creating an atmosphere of prosperity that almost misled him into thinking the whole world was like this. If he hadn’t witnessed the lives of common people firsthand, experiencing their true hardships, he wouldn’t truly understand the difficulties and challenges they faced.

 

After reading the classics for so many years, understanding the wisdom of sages, knowing astronomy and geography, but failing to grasp the essentials of life such as firewood, rice, oil, and salt, unable to provide practical solutions to the struggles of the common people, what use is there for a top scholar in the imperial examination other than to shine brightly for his family?

 

“Indeed, the spring exams are almost over, and you’re too late,” Liu Shu said.

 

Shen Ke nodded with a smile, “Yes, it’s too late.”

 

“But I believe in you; you will definitely pass!”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Once again, silence fell between them. Liu Shu propped up his chin, his gaze wandering around the room, eventually settling on Shen Ke’s face. The warm glow cast a sunset-like radiance on his fair face, and even his eyelashes, like raven feathers, caught the light. His slow and solemn movements in turning the pages seemed out of place in this worn-out and rough environment.

 

Liu Shu couldn’t figure out where he should belong. Certainly not in the brothels, gambling dens, or taverns that he frequented. Neither did he seem like the pretentious type found in academies.

 

Suddenly, a thought struck him. “Ah Ke, would you consider becoming a monk?”

 

Shen Ke paused, “Huh? Why would I become a monk?”

 

“I see a Buddha’s aura shining on you!”

 

Shen Ke looked at him in silence, then blew out a breath, extinguishing the candle, plunging the room into darkness.

 

“Is the Buddha’s aura still shining now?”

 

“No, no! I must have been blind. It’s so dark in here! Where are you?” Liu Shu reached out, frantically groping in the dark until a hand took hold of his, calming him down.

 

Light returned to the room.

 

Liu Shu patted his chest, took a deep breath, and looked at the person in front of him. Noticing the warmth in the handshake, subtle emotions surfaced, but before he could grasp them, Shen Ke let go of his hand, pushed him toward his own room, and said gently, “Alright, it’s late, you should rest.”

 

“What about you? Are you going to read more?”

 

“I won’t read anymore; I need to sleep too.”

 

“Okay, then I wish you sweet dreams.”

 

Liu Shu closed the door, lay on the bed, and soon drowsiness overwhelmed him. However, as he closed his eyes, he suddenly woke up—wait, wasn’t I planning to ask him about the hidden ailment?

 

In the early morning, sunlight dispersed the mist and fell into the small courtyard through the window lattice.

 

Liu Shu opened his eyes and found himself locking eyes with a pair of chicken eyes.

 

He blinked in confusion, then suddenly grabbed the little chick that had climbed onto him and interrogated, “How did you end up here? Don’t you have a home?!”

 

“Cheep cheep.”

 

“What’s going on?” Shen Ke, hearing the commotion, came to the door, saw him staring at the little chick wide-eyed, couldn’t help but laugh, walked in, picked up the chick, and looked at Liu Shu’s smooth and fair shoulder for a moment, then turned to the window, “Is it too hot?”

 

“Yeah, the weather is getting warmer.”

 

Liu Shu lazily sat up, and his loosely draped clothes slid off his shoulder. He yawned, looking at Shen Ke, then suddenly stopped. In his mind, an image inexplicably appeared: the courtesan doing the same, occasionally peeling off her clothes in front of him. However, instead of being aroused, he helped her fix her clothes and expressed concern, saying, “Be careful not to catch a cold.”

 

… Does he have a problem? The courtesan was just doing her job!

 

Or does he really have a hidden ailment?

 

“Be careful not to catch a cold,” Shen Ke coughed, helping him pull his clothes back up.

 

Liu Shu stared at him with wide eyes, as if he had seen a ghost. He fixated on him, almost blurting out the question, “Do you also have a hidden ailment?”

 

“The spring injuries are here,” Shen Ke explained.

 

“Oh.” Liu Shu got up, put on the new clothes – rough fabric but well-fitting. In a cheerful mood, he took the little chick from Shen Ke, walked out of the room, and saw the shiny and well-maintained main hall. “You’re back for alms so soon? Are you on a almsgiving tour?”

 

“Amitabha, may Little Five benefactor be well,” said Hui Shang solemnly.

 

“What’s wrong with him?” Liu Shu asked Shen Ke in a low voice.

 

Shen Ke covered his mouth and replied, “Hungry.”

 

After finishing the porridge, Hui Shang’s expression finally gained some humanity. He said, “Have you heard what the people in the village are saying?”

 

Shen Ke asked, “What?”

 

“It is said that a young master from Jinling has run away with his concubine.”

 

Seems like there’s a bit of gossip flavor!

 

Liu Shu quickly interrupted the topic, “Enough of your gossip, a monk like you shouldn’t be so eager to believe rumors. Do you want me to tell the abbot?”

 

“The abbot has passed away.”

 

“Oh…” Liu Shu thought, I really should shut up, “I’m sorry.”

 

“But his illegitimate son has become our new abbot.”

 

“…Your temple is really chaotic.” Liu Shu blinked his eyes and suddenly lit up, “Come, tell us the stories inside?”

 

Two heads quickly huddled together, whispering, murmuring, eyebrows flying, and colors dancing.

 

Shen Ke: “…”

 

After washing the dishes, he found these two still gossiping and got a bit of a headache. “Can you talk about something else?”

 

The two fell silent, then simultaneously looked at him. Liu Shu suddenly sighed, “Even a monk has an illegitimate child, and I don’t.”

 

“Ah, neither do I,” Hui Shang said.

 

“…What are you guys feeling sad about?”

 

Liu Shu’s old problem resurfaced. He stood up, pulled Shen Ke to the kitchen, and whispered, “You’ve read so many medical books, have you ever come across anything about hidden ailments?”

 

Shen Ke raised an eyebrow, turning his head stiffly to look at him. “You…”

 

“Not me!” Liu Shu instinctively denied, “It’s, it’s Hui Shang!”

 

“Him?”

 

“Yeah, he has a hidden ailment, that’s why he became a monk.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Yeah, so have you ever read any medical books on this topic? Can you help him?”

 

Shen Ke turned his head and glanced at Hui Shang, who was sitting at the table picking his nose after scratching his head. He shook his head, “No help.”

 

Liu Shu: The end.