Accompanied by a Fool To Do Farming - CH 75

Chapter 75: 逛街

(stroll down the street)

“Amu, did you really talk to Huang Amu?” Zhao Ning said with surprise. He blushed because of shyness; he appeared to be bashful.

“Yes, I’ve discussed it with your Huang Amu. Later when they come, you and Jin Lei go to take a walk, talk and try to interact with each other. You need to cultivate the feelings between you two.” Zhao Amu said earnestly.

Zhao Ning stirred his two hands together. He nodded from time to time as he listened to Zhao Amu passing on his experience. To be honest, he was quite apprehensive. A Ger, by nature was easily moved (fall in love/aroused to passion). After spending so much time together, Zhao Ning felt that Huang Jinlei was really a nice person. He felt that his heart had moved (emotionally affected). He didn’t know when he started to see him differently, but his heart was pounding irregularly when he saw him. His eyes also uncontrollably began to follow him. When Huang Jinlei looked at him, he would pretend to look away as if nothing was wrong, then sneakily look at him again when he wasn’t looking. However, it was useless if only he himself liked him, he also wanted to know what Huang Jinlei was thinking.

Zhao Lan watched this pair of Amu and son muttering in the corner, he did not know what they were saying. He could only see Zhao Ning’s somewhat shy look. He shook his head, guessing in his heart that it might be something private.

Zhao Sheng and An Ning also looked at Zhao Amu and Zhao Ning frequently. They wondered what they were talking about and what was there that they shouldn’t hear?

“Father, what Amu and Xiao Ning are talking about?” Zhao Sheng asked Zhao Baogen, who was busy minding his own work.

Zhao Baogen didn’t even look up and said, “Quick, just do your job! We’ll talk about it when we get back!” On the way here, Zhao Amu had already reported to Zhao Baogen. Zhao Baogen naturally agreed.

Zhao Sheng and An Ning were reprimanded by Zhao Baogen, so they could only meekly put away their curiosity.

Not long after that, Huang Amu and the others arrived. They didn’t see Huang Jinlei, only Huang Amu and Uncle Huang.

As soon as Huang Amu entered the room, he apologized with a smile, “I’m late today, I was delayed by something.”

“We’ve only just arrived too.” Zhao Lan responded to him. He did know that Zhao Amu and Huang Amu and the others had stayed up late yesterday doing business here.

“How is it?” Zhao Amu asked quietly as he came over to Huang Amu.

Huang Amu nodded and whispered in Zhao Amu’s ear, “I’ve asked my family Lei Zi to wait outside the door, so you should let Xiao Ning out.”

Zhao Amu nodded and gave Zhao Ning a wink.

Zhao Ning understood, bit his lip and quietly went out of the door.

Early in the morning, the streets were particularly cold and cheerless, especially after last night’s ruckus, so many people probably couldn’t wake up in the morning.

Zhao Ning went out the door as he looked around. At a glance, he saw Huang Jinlei standing in the doorway on his right side.

Zhao Ning’s face was still uncontrollably red. He walked over in small quick steps without saying a word.

Huang Jinlei, with his usual expressionless face, saw Zhao Ning coming out and said, “Let’s go!”

Zhao Ning followed him and asked, “Where are we going?”

“Just for a walk.”

Huang Jinlei said not to look at his calm appearance right now but actually in his heart, he felt quite nervous too. He felt that it was strange, when he was together with other gers , he did not have this kind of feeling; he only felt bored, but with Zhao Ning there was no such (fed up) feeling. Could it be that…?

Huang Jinlei looked at Zhao Ning thoughtfully. Looking at his shy and timid appearance, he felt the indescribable feeling in his heart that he quite liked him.

There were only a few people on the street at this moment. However, the vendors were not few at all, especially at the beginning of Spring1. Many of them were selling all kinds of small pendants.

When Zhao Ning and Huang Jinlei walked over slowly, many vendors immediately shouted.”These two customers, take a look at our purses! It looks good and big. It will look good whether you buy it for your Fu Lang or your husband.”

“Come and take a look! A nice bracelet.”

“Lanterns for sale! Fu Lang, take a look! Our lanterns are small and lovely, just match you.”

Huang Jinlei listened to the various hawking sounds in his ears and noticed the footsteps beside him, slowing down by half a beat.

Huang Jinlei turned his head back and found that Zhao Ning was already fascinated by the things around him.

No wonder, Zhao Ning was curious, he had rarely wandered into the town before. Most of the time, he just finished his business and left. It was only after doing business with Zhong Ziqi that he gradually became familiar with Qing Shui Town, but he had never seen the town truly bustling with activity. Looking at the dazzling array of goods around him, Zhao Ning felt that his eyes were barely enough to use. Everything he looked at was beautiful; everything he saw was rare. He didn’t notice that Huang Jinlei, who was walking next to him, had stopped walking at some point.

It was only when his arm was pulled that Zhao Ning came back to his senses. Following along his own arm, he looked toward Huang Jinlei : “What’s wrong?”

Huang Jinlei asked instead of answering, “Do you like these?”

Zhao Ning rubbed his nose in embarrassment : “It’s okay, I’ve just never seen it before, so I’m quite curious.”

Huang Jinlei nodded and said to the stall owner next to him who was selling rouge powder, “Give me a box!”

Naturally the stall owner was unable to contain his joy.

“No need to buy it for me, I still have it at home.” Zhao Ning gently tugged at his sleeve.

Huang Jinlei shook his head, ” You can use it later. It’s also not expensive.”

Zhao Ning responded with ‘Oh’, as he didn’t refuse again. At this moment, he was already very happy (that even the flowers had bloomed). He was secretly thinking if he also liked himself? If not, why would he buy something for him?

Next, Huang Jinlei was in shopping mode. As long as Zhao Ning liked it and looked at it more than twice, not stingy at all, he would buy them all . There were chain bracelets, wooden hairpin, delicious food and some interesting things.

Although Zhao Ning was pleased with his thoughtfulness, he still felt that it was too wasteful. None of the things were expensive but it became quite a lot in total. Zhao Ning was embarrassed that he didn’t dare to look at it again afterward.

Zhao Ning was gone for the whole morning. The later they came back, the happier Huang Amu and Zhao Amu were, this means that the two children were getting along well, otherwise they would have been back earlier.

Zhao Sheng saw that his little brother had not returned and did not know what he was doing, so he asked with some concern : “Amu, what Xiao Ning has been doing? Why hasn’t he come back yet? As a ger, it’s dangerous for him to be out there alone.”

However, Zhao Amu waved his hand, “I know, I am well aware of it. You can go do your job! Don’t worry.”

Zhao Sheng could only suppress the worry and his puzzled over heart when he saw that he couldn’t get the answer so he blurted out without thinking and asked Huang Amu: “Huang Amu, Lei Ge went out to do something, when will he come back? It’s already noon.”

Huang Amu smiled and said, “Soon.”

Only the attentive Zhao Lan noticed something was wrong, Zhao Amu and Huang Amu both smiled suspiciously, acted in strange ways, the way they spoke was even more fishy. Thinking of the two people who had disappeared together, Zhao Lan suddenly understood something as he smiled heartily.

Just after noon, Zhao Ning came back with Huang Jinlei. Zhao Ning was smiling happily, he was holding a lot of bits and pieces of things. Huang Jinlei was expressionless as before, except that anyone could see the gentleness on his face.

“Xiao Ning, you’re back? What have you been doing? How did you come back with Lei Ge?” Zhao Sheng immediately asked as soon as he saw Zhao Ning, he had been holding it all morning.

“E…. It’s nothing, just went out to stroll for a while.” Zhao Ning blushed as he answered.

On the contrary, An Ning’s eyes darted around Zhao Ning and Huang Jinlei twice and he finally understood. He saw that his husband still wanted to ask more questions, so he hurriedly reached out and pulled him, telling him to stop talking.

After Zhao Ning and Huang Jinlei came back, they were busy working in the shop. Zhao Amu and Huang Amu also went busy with their own job as if nothing had happened. No one also bothered to ask how it was.

In the evening, when they went back to their own homes, they began to interrogate each other.

“Xiao Ning, today how was it?” Zhao Amu asked impatiently.

“Pretty good, he bought these things for me.” Zhao Ning pointed to the pile of stuff on the table before he grinned and laughed ‘He he’.

“Okay, this boy has eyesight. Your Huang Amu said he was a blockhead (simpleton) but what I also see is that he is very quick-witted.” Zhao Amu was pleased as he said this.

“Amu, what are you guys talking about? What blockhead? What’s with who bought it?” Zhao Sheng was unable to make any sense of the matter, listening to his Amu and his little brother’s words as if he was listening to a fantasy story.

Zhao Amu glanced at Zhao Sheng, then turned his head to Zhao Baogen who was silent and said, “You say, how we have such an unenlightened son, just the same character with you?”

Zhao Baogen grinned and smiled, he was somewhat absentmindedly thinking of his younger days, when he was just like Zhao Sheng, clumsy and simple minded.

An Ning covered his mouth as he laughed at his husband’s defeated look and said, “What Amu is talking about, I believe, is the marriage between Xiao Ning and Brother Lei ba?”

Zhao Amu nodded, “You are clever.”

Only then did Zhao Sheng suddenly realize, “You went out with Brother Lei today, huh? Did Brother Lei buy all these for you?”

Zhao Ning nodded his head.

“Then you guys should have just told me bei, causing me to worry all morning.” Zhao Sheng said helplessly.

“It’s so obvious, Lan Ge has guessed it right and you still can’t guess it.” Zhao Amu nodded his head.

Zhao Sheng felt wronged, “You know that I am stupid.(That was stupid of me.)”

Besides them, on the other hand, at Huang Amu’s home was also facing the same question of torture.

“Son, what do you think of Xiao Ning?” Huang Amu asked.

“Quite Good.” Huang Jinlei answered without even thinking about it. “Then what do you mean by that?” Huang Amu asked.

Huang Jinlei, however, did not answer directly, but said, “Obey the parents’ order, follow the advice of the matchmaker, this son listens to you.”

[父母之命，媒妁之言 :

The marriage of children must be decided by the parents and introduced by a matchmaker; this old saying probably not suitable for modern people, but in this case, it’s just the other way’s of Huang Jinlei to say that he is willing]

“Good! Since you listen to us, then we decide that Xiao Ning is the one.”

Huang Amu and Uncle Huang were overjoyed. Moreover their son was over twenty now and all the neighbors of the same age already had kids that were able to run around, yet their son didn’t even have a wife. How was it possible for Huang Amu and Uncle Huang not to be anxious? Fortunately, Zhao Ning did not mind Huang Jinlei’s age, his clumsy mouth and willing to be with him.

Staying at his humble abode, Zhong Ziqi was the last one to know about the news. It was Zhao Zheng’an who told him.

“What? They’ve really become a couple? When did Zhao Amu tell Huang Amu?” Zhong Ziqi was surprised and asked.

“I think it was on the night of the 15th (of Lunar New Year)” Zhao Zheng’an said as he lay leisurely on the Kang bed.

Since he had finished soaking in all the medicine prescribed by the divine doctor, his head really didn’t hurt at all anymore and his body was full of strength, unlike before when he often felt weak. He and Zhong Ziqi couldn’t help but feel that the miracle doctor was a miracle doctor, he could cure all kinds of illnesses, even the trauma on his head.

Zhao Zheng’an may not think it was something but Zhong Ziqi was a modern man 100% and in his heart, he knew very well that modern hospitals were helpless2 when it came to the sequelae of trauma on the head so there was no cure for it. From this, it could be seen how difficult it was to treat such a disease. However, the divine doctor had solved it so easily.

“So did Lei Ge agree?” Zhong Ziqi asked, normally they could only see Zhao Ning’s intention, but they couldn’t tell anything from the expressionless Huang Jinlei.

“Of course they agreed, otherwise they couldn’t have been together. Neither of them are against it so Zhao Amu and Huang Amu are overjoyed. These days, they are discussing a good day to get the wedding done.” Zhao Zheng’an said.

Zhong Ziqi was speechless. How urgent must this be? They hadn’t even got the opportunity to get along properly. Now, they are getting married. This was what you called a flash marriage ….

[The beginning of Spring / the 10 or 20 days following the lunar New Year’s Day]

[束手无策 (shù shǒu wú cè) : lit. to have one’s hands bound and be unable to do anything about it (idiom); fig. helpless in the face of a crisis]