CH 35

Chapter 35: 回家 (Going Home)

As soon as Zhong Ziqi’s words left his mouth, an extremely sharp gaze shot at him. Zhao Zheng’an’s face was expressionless: “Divorced? Don’t even think about it! Since we are married, it is impossible for us to separate. Alive, You are Zhao Zheng’an’s person, even if you die and become a ghost, you are still mine.I will not let you go.”

Zhao Zheng’an’s words were harsh and unpleasant, but Zhong Ziqi still laughed out loud. He felt that what was weighing on his heart had finally fall: “Are you stupid? Didn’t you listen carefully to what I said?”

“What’s wrong?” Zhao Zheng’an was puzzled by Zhong Ziqi’s laugh. Why did he feel that this matter was going in a strange direction?

Zhong Ziqi couldn’t contain the smile on his lips, “What I mean is that if you don’t want to be with me, then we should just divorce.”

Zhao Zheng’an’s eyes lit up, “You mean you’re willing to live with me? To be my Fu Lang?”

Zhong Ziqi: “……”

Why can’t this person ever get to the core of the matter? Suddenly he felt as if he had lifted a stone to hit his own feet.The ancient people,they are really annoying! When they should be direct/ straightforward they are not straightforward, yet when they should be euphemistic, they are not euphemistic at all.

Zhao Zheng’an didn’t wait for Zhong Ziqi’s answer, for him the answer didn’t matter. He wouldn’t let him escape. He smiled faintly, he believed that the days to come would get better and better.

During his illness, Huang Amu and Zhao Amu came to see him every now and then. They were surprised to see that Zhao Zheng’an had recovered completely, with a hint of restraint, as they were not familiar with this kind of Zhao Zheng’an after all. But they were happy for Zhong Ziqi, so he wouldn’t have to be so tired. It was heartbreaking to see him going around like a gyroscope (spinning top) every day at such a young age.

Zhao Zheng’an stayed at the medical clinic for another three days before going home. Before he left, Zhong Ziqi had taken a large packet of medicine and spent almost all of the five taels of silver he had with him.

But he was worried about Zhao Zheng’an’s headache, which was now 100% certain to be a sequelae. After taking the old doctor’s medicine, he got better, but his attacks were irregular and he suffered from pain several times a day, to what extent Zhong Ziqi did not know because Zhao Zheng’an never told him.He always carried the pain alone and acted as if he was relaxed, with this alone made him feel distressed, but there was nothing he could do about it.

On the way back, Zhong Ziqi hired a carriage. He was shouted at by someone as he walked through the crowd. Zhong Ziqi was in the carriage and looked back to find that he didn’t know him, but somehow looked familiar.

In the distance, three or four men approached him. One of them said: “Little Boss, you’re not doing business now? We’ve been waiting for you!”

“That’s right, we’re dying of hunger. When are you coming back?”

It turned out that these people were the regular customers of Zhong Ziqi’s stall and were also his loyal fans. But when Zhong Ziqi suddenly disappeared one day, for seven or eight days at a time, many of them speculated what had happened, whether he had been robbed or threatened by someone.

Some of the people passing by who did not know Zhong Ziqi, heard the conversation and their eyes lit up as they listened with their ears open, wondering in their hearts, so this is the legendary little boss. He was really young! They were also anxious to know when the stall would be open.

Zhong Ziqi looked at the crowd with some surprise. He didn’t expect so many people to look forward to him. He was very happy: “I’m sorry, but something has happened in the past few days, so I can’t set up my stall as usual. I’ll be back in a few days.”

Some of those who were well informed immediately knew what he was talking about.

“Okay then, we’ll wait for you!”

“I won’t let everyone down.” Zhong Ziqi said in a raised voice.

As soon as they opened the door, Da Hei and Xiao Hei rushed over and surrounded Zhao Zheng’an, wagging their tails and sniffing and licking, because Zhao Zheng’an usually served them, so the dogs knew who was close to them.

“Hungry?” Zhao Zheng’an asked with a smile. He also missed them quite a lot, just like his own children.

Zhong Ziqi observed for a moment and shook his head, “Not hungry. I think they miss you. Ignore them for now, those little clingy.” Zhong Ziqi helped Zhao Zheng’an into the bedroom, laid out the blanket and let him sit on it.

“I’m fine, much better.” Zhao Zheng’an couldn’t help that the other party always served him as if he was an old, sick, and disabled person. He was a man who got well quickly, unlike a ger who was delicately pretty.

“No! The doctor has said that you are still very weak and need to recuperate. Listen to the doctor!” Zhong Ziqi said with a glare. Ever since Zhao Zheng’an had said something so domineering and incomparable that day, the strange distance between the two of them had completely disappeared. The two of them normally got along naturally as well.

“You can rest here for a while. I’ll go and cook you some food.” Zhao Zheng’an should not eat too greasy food for now so he had bought two fish for him today to give him a fish soup.

“Don’t worry! Go quickly.” Zhao Zheng’an smiled helplessly.

Zhong Ziqi went into the kitchen, cleaning it before he started cooking. When he bought the fish, he bought two, the live one and the dead one. The live one was put in a basin of water to keep it for later. He would eat it after finishing the first one.

Fish soup was highly nutritious. It could not be more appropriate in the ancient times when there were few tonic products. When he had time, he would go to Zhao Amu’s house to buy an old hen to make a soup that would be even more tonic, Zhong Ziqi thought to himself, very happily.

At the dinner table, Zhao Zheng’an sipped his fish soup one mouth at a time. Whether when he was stupid or now, every time he eats Zhong Ziqi’s food he wants to grow a few more stomachs. Just like this fish soup, he had had it before but it was fishy (smell), greasy and tasted so awful. Yet from his wife’s hands,it was rich, tasty and didn’t taste fishy at all. He had to hold on to his wife for that alone.

After eating, Zhong Ziqi fished out a small jar to give Zhao Zheng’an tisane, two more pairs of decoction Zhao Zheng’an can stop taking the medicine. After all, Zhao Zheng’an was suffering from an after-effect, so there was nothing else to do but to take a few pairs of pills to ease the pain.

Zhong Ziqi squatted in the kitchen and sighed, knowing that the doctors in this small place were not very good at healing. He had to save up money to find a good doctor for Zhao Zheng’an soon.

“Drink your medicine! ” Zhong Ziqi called out to the man who appeared to be sleeping with his eyes closed as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

But Zhong Ziqi knew that this man was definitely not sleeping. Speaking of this matter, he had to tell something that made him didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. Zhao Zheng’an was afraid of bitterness. The first day he drank the medicine, Zhao Zheng’an drank it with a bitter face, perhaps because the two of them were still excessively reserved.

But the next time he drank his medicine, he could only delay it for a while. It would have been better if the medicine spilled. Zhong Ziqi saw his nature at once. Between laughter and tears, he could only bring him something sweet like a pastry every time he drank his medicine.

Zhao Zheng’an was motionless on the bed, as if he was really asleep.

Zhong Ziqi said helplessly, “Get up! I know you haven’t slept, drink it while it’s hot, it’ll be even harder to drink when it’s cold.”

Zhao Zheng’an reluctantly opened his eyes and got up: “You can leave it here! I’ll drink it when it’s cool, you go and get busy.”

Zhong Ziqi: “…… I’m not busy, I’ll leave when you’re done drinking. Quick! It’s not that hot.”

“……” Zhao Zheng’an took the bowl, took a deep breath,and drank it vigorously before quickly taking a bowl of sweet cans from Zhong Ziqi, took a big sip. Only then did he feel comfortable.

It’s true that he doesn’t like to drink the medicine. But it wasn’t so much effort to pretend, especially for his wife. Seeing him smiling, even if his image was ruined, he would accept it since they are one family.

Zhong Ziqi cleaned the medicine bowl before starting to clean the house, which had not been inhabited for many days. A layer of dust had fallen on the house, which no one in their right mind could stand. Zhong Ziqi rolled up his sleeves, wetted the rag and started to wipe.

Zhao Zheng’an leaned lazily on the bed and watched him, the corners of his mouth curling up, thinking to himself that the feeling of being married is different from being a single man. Only when there is really such a person in the family, then he could experience the feeling that you and I are being one, very happy and beautiful.

Translator ?:

Peaceful again?