Chapter 27#
If You See SnowCh27 - A Husband Should Love His Wife#
This was a long story, and it all began twenty-two years ago at the Buliao residence on Zhuluo Mountain.
At that time, Su Ruhui was dozing off in his master Ming Ruowu’s lecture hall. Ming Ruowu was determined to pass on the《Woqi Jing》to him, summoning him every few days to urge him to memorize it. His master was a prodigy, proficient in the Feng Hou star array and traditional Chinese medicine. Of the forty-eight aristocratic families, thirty had their defensive star arrays set up by his master, and almost everyone from these families had sought treatment from him. His master was not only skilled in medicine but also a good person. When the scions of these aristocratic families suffered from any embarrassing or difficult-to-treat illnesses, they would beg him for help. This was mainly because his master never gossiped. If they had sought treatment elsewhere, rumors would likely fly to the skies by the next day.
Ming Ruowu had already planned to pass on his life’s work to his disciples. Everything was decided: He would pass on his medical skills to Zhou Xiaosu, who possessed a natural talent with the secret arts of “Spring Revival,” capable of healing injuries and illnesses, making her an excellent candidate for medicine. He would teach Su Ruhui the Feng Hou star array, whose secret arts was “Limitless Deduction,” allowing him to arrive at answers in an instant, no matter how large or complex the numerological calculations. The Feng Hou star array contained infinite variations, and Su Ruhui possessed an exceptional talent for its study; he was born to cultivate star arrays.
Unfortunately, that little rascal Su Ruhui was dead set on becoming a chef.
As daylight faded, shadows fell across the bamboo blinds. The children’s voices rose in chorus, their recitations carried far on the breeze. Most of the children at the Buliao residence’s private school came from Zhuluo Town, where nobles and commoners lived worlds apart. For Ming Ruowu to open his doors and teach them was truly a rare privilege. The children studied diligently, reciting the scriptures word by word. Among them, only Su Ruhui’s head bobbed up and down, almost falling asleep.
Ming Ruowu put down the《Woqi Jing》and sighed wistfully. He walked up to Su Ruhui, tapped Su Ruhui’s forehead with his finger, motioned for him to step outside to talk.. Su Ruhui followed Ming Ruowu to the wooden corridor. Ming Ruowu ruffled his hair and said: “A-Hui ah, if you don’t study hard, you won’t be able to get a wife in the future.”
Su Ruhui shook his head, speaking with great conviction. “Master, you’re wrong about that. My father had no secret arts and couldn’t earn a living, yet he still married a princess from the Secret Sect. This shows that whether you can get a wife isn’t about ability, but about looks. I’m not bad looking, so don’t worry, some girl will definitely be blind enough to fall for me in the future.”
“Oh you, your stomach is full of twisted logic. I can’t argue with you.” Ming Ruowu shook his head with a bitter smile, “You grew up alongside Xiaosu and Xueya. Which of them do you like? Xiaosu comes from the Zhou family of Yuzhou. Her medical skills are already well-established, quite reminiscent of my own style back in the day. Xueya comes from the Jiang family of Yunzhou and is a rare offensive-type secret arts user. You should study hard. When you turn fourteen, I’ll arrange a marriage proposal for you, whether it’s Xiaosu or Xueya.”
Marrying either Zhou Xiaosu or Jiang Xueya would be an enormous catastrophe for Su Ruhui.
Su Ruhui was speechless for a long time before saying: “Please let that idea die. Jiang Xueya says her husband has to be the fiercest man in the world, while Zhou Xiaosu wants the most tender-hearted man. I’m neither tender nor fierce. Neither of them would have me.”
No sooner had the words left his lips than the evening drum sounded. Its faint beats drifted into the mountains and forests, startling countless birds into flight.
Su Ruhui’s eyes lit up: “Master, class is over. See you tomorrow!”
Su Ruhui went back into the house to get his book chest. Just as he entered, he accidentally bumped into a young boy. Looking up, he saw it was Da Long from Zhuluo Town. The boy was hiding behind the door, probably eavesdropping on his conversation with his master. Dalong was fourteen years old, a good head taller than Su Ruhui.
“Su Ruhui, do you even have eyes?” Da Long glared at him.
Eavesdropping on others and even acting so arrogantly. This guy had always disliked Su Ruhui and picked fights with him almost every day, but because Su Ruhui was Ming Ruowu’s personal disciple, he never dared to go too far. Su Ruhui didn’t want to provoke this guy, so he grabbed his book chest and headed out. However, before he even stepped out the wooden corridor, Jiang Xueya blocked his way.
“Where ya going?” Jiang Xueya raised her chin at him.
Her voice was eerily low. Su Ruhui glanced over and saw Zhou Xiaosu standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him angrily. Su Ruhui knew he was in trouble and packed up his book chest, ready to slip away. Jiang Xueya lunged forward in a single bound and, using a grappling technique, seized Su Ruhui like a tiger snatching a gazelle.
Jiang Xueya turned to Ming Ruowu: “Sir, we have other matters to attend to, so we’ll take our leave first.”
With that, he shooed Su Ruhui away, waving a handkerchief and saying: “Have fun, no fighting!”
The situation was just as Su Ruhui had guessed— Zhou Xiaosu discovered that he had asked Sang Chiyu to wash his socks. Zhou Xiaosu tattled to Jiang Xueya, who then learned of it too. The two of them escorted Su Ruhui back to the courtyard like a prisoner, arriving just as Sang Chiyu came to collect the socks from Su Ruhui’s room. Jiang Xueya chased Su Ruhui, beating him as he darted about. Finally, he hid behind Sang Chiyu, who was clutching a large wooden basin, and made faces at Jiang Xueya.
“Su Ruhui, you’ve got some nerve,” Jiang Xueya scolded him. “Making others wash your stinky socks, aren’t you afraid of suffocating Yu’er to death!”
“Yeah yeah,” Zhou Xiaosu chimed in from the side. “Shige, you’re shameless! You suck!”
“First of all, my socks don’t stink,“ Su Ruhui poked his head out from behind Sang Chiyu, saying with a grin, ”Second, Yuer is my xiaodi. It’s only right for xiaodi to take on his dage’s burdens. Yuer, are you willing to wash my socks?”
Sang Chiyu nodded, “Willing.”
“Did you hear that? Did you hear that?!” Su Ruhui made a face at Jiang Xueya and Zhou Xiaosu, “He wants to.”
“Yu’er, you’ve been tricked!” Zhou Xiaosu stamped her foot, “He just wants you to be his slave. You’re washing his socks now, and tomorrow he’ll make you do the laundry, cook, sweep the floor, and wash the dishes.”
“Yu’er, you come here,” Jiang Xueya said. “We’ll take you to catch loaches. Let’s not play with Su Ruhui.”
Sang Chiyu looked from Su Ruhui to Jiang Xueya, his large dark eyes full of confusion. He didn’t know whom he should choose.
“Ignore them, only kids play with loaches.” Su Ruhui grabbed Sang Chiyu and ran off. “My xiaodi and I will be heading out first. You two, please go ahead.”
As Su Ruhui ran, he heard Zhou Xiaosu hollering, “I’m going to tell Master and Grandmaster! Shige, just you wait till you have to kneel before the ancestors!”
Only knows how to tattle, Su Ruhui humphed. He turned to look at Sang Chiyu— a fair and clean face, large and clear eyes, calm and still. Yu’er was the best. Su Ruhui clasped Sang Chiyu’s hand tightly. Jiang Xueya was a witch, Zhou Xiaosu was a tattletale. Marrying either of them would ruin his life. Better to marry Sang Chiyu!
The two ran straight to a stream halfway up the mountain. Su Ruhui was panting heavily from exhaustion while Sang Chiyu was completely unfazed as if he could run another eight hundred li in a single breath. Sang Chiyu set down the wooden basin by the stream and asked, looking a bit lost: “We can’t play with Jiang Xueya and Zhou Xiaosu anymore?”
He hung his head, looking a little sad. Su Ruhui comforted him, “Don’t worry, It’ll be fine in a couple of days and then we can play together again.”
“Really?” Sang Chiyu asked.
“Really,” Su Ruhui patted his chest to assure him, “When have I ever lied to you?”
Sang Chiyu’s heart settled. Jiang Xueya and Zhou Xiaosu were both his friends; he didn’t want to sever ties with them. Sang Chiyu squatted down and began washing socks with great effort. Su Ruhui also squatted down beside him, watching his pale arms disappear into the shimmering water. In the setting sun, the water sparkled, and Sang Chiyu’s arms seemed to glow as well.
Su Ruhui propped his head up and suddenly said: “Yu’er, why don’t you marry me.”
Sang Chiyu froze, tilting his head in confusion as he looked at him.
Su Ruhui, bored out of his mind, flicked at the water’s surface with his fingers. “My master’s gone mad. He wants me to marry either Jiang Xueya or Zhou Xiaosu. Marrying either of them would ruin my life. If you’re willing to be with me, I’ll marry you instead. Even though we’re both men, both Jiang Xueya and Zhou Xiaosu’s fathers have male concubines. Why can’t children do what adults can do? What do you say?”
Sang Chiyu gave a vague “Hmm” in response.
Su Ruhui patted Sang Chiyu’s shoulder forcefully and said seriously: “Our Divine Dragon Gang has a new rule: if dage can’t find a wife, then xiaodi has to become dage’s wife. I only have one xiaodi, so you will be my wife.”
Sang Chiyu was naive back then, unaware of what marriage truly meant. He didn’t care for whom he married, readily agreeing to wed whoever Su Ruhui coaxed him to marry. Though Su Ruhui was a bit smarter than Sang Chiyu at the time, he too didn’t truly grasp the significance of marriage. In his young mind, his definition of marriage was limited to the idea of two people sharing a life together, a concept entirely shaped by the romance novels Zhou Xiaosu had collected and lent him. He didn’t want to glare at Jiang Xueya and Zhou Xiaosu like two roosters for the rest of his days, but he was willing to spend his life with Sang Chiyu.
Anyway, there wasn’t much difference between spouses and brothers; the only distinction being that spouses had to raise children. Adults all said you should marry a woman with a big butt so she can have children easily. Su Ruhui disagreed. He thought he was already quite a nuisance himself. If his future wife gave birth to a little Su Ruhui, wouldn’t that just mean another nuisance? He was very self aware. It was enough for him to be the one bothering others, but he certainly didn’t want anyone else bothering him.
“Yu’er, are you willing to be my wife?” he asked.
Sang Chiyu nodded: “Willing.”
“Xiaodi, call me dage.” Su Ruhui called out.
“Dage.” Sang Chiyu responded.
“Wife,” Su Ruhui called out again, “Call me husband.”
“Husband.” Sang Chiyu responded once more.
Yu’er is so obedient, Su Ruhui was almost moved to tears. He had a little brother and a wife. Su Ruhui felt that his life was very complete. His father once said, “If one hears the Dao in the morning, one may die content in the evening.” Su Ruhui thought, “If one has a wife in the morning, one may die content in the evening.”
Seeing that Su Ruhui had nothing more to say, Sang Chiyu turned back to continue washing socks. With his eyes and brows lowered, he looked as serene as a little buddha in a temple. He was always so obedient, agreeing to all of Su Ruhui’s requests.
Such a good little Yu’er was destined to be bullied by Su Ruhui for the rest of his life.
For the first time ever, Su Ruhui found his conscience and said: “Wife, you don’t need to wash my socks anymore.”
Sang Chiyu raised his head in confusion, “Why?”
Su Ruhui mischievously pinched his cheek, “Because I love my wife, that’s why.” He wiped the sweat from Sang Chiyu’s forehead, “Wait for me, I’ll go pick some mulberries for you to eat.”
Su Ruhui left, and Sang Chiyu turned to look at the bushes on the opposite bank of the stream. Sang Chiyu had always possessed incredibly sharp senses since childhood, far beyond that of normal people. Dantai Jing had warned him not to let anyone know about this. He had heeded Dantai Jing’s instructions and hadn’t even told Su Ruhui. Now he heard some people hiding on the other side. They thought they were hiding well, but Sang Chiyu could hear their rustling sounds. From the very beginning, they had been eavesdropping on Su Ruhui and his conversation.
Sang Chiyu frowned slightly, then lowered his head to concentrate on washing the socks.
He heard the people on the other side come out and approach the stream.
“Hey.” A small pebble hit him, leaving a muddy mark the size of a coin on his white cloak.
He looked up and saw a group of disheveled children standing on the opposite bank. The oldest one appeared to be fourteen, and most of them were barefoot with their clothes full of patches.
“Da Long ge,” a child grabbed the oldest boy’s wrist, “You can’t hit him, he’s a nobleman.”
“Hey, are you the Grandmaster’s disciple?” Da Long asked him.
Sang Chiyu looked at them and remained silent.
“You’re a noble person, why would you marry a commoner?” Da Long asked, “How could you possibly fall for Su Ruhui? His father is a schoolteacher, with muddy legs just like us. If he didn’t know how to recite a few sentimental poems, how could he have managed to charm the esteemed Princess Suwu of the Secret Sect? Not long ago, his father was still selling straw sandals in our Zhuluo Town. Look at the ones I’m wearing, they were made by his father. His father is not respectable, and all the aristocratic families look down on him. Listen to me, Su Ruhui is not good enough for you.”
The child behind him greeted him shyly, “We are from Zhuluo Town at the foot of Zhuluo Mountain. My name is Xiaochong. Have you seen me before? I go to school on the mountain every day.” The child said enviously, “I really envy Su Ruhui. He can be a disciple of Mister Ming, be friends with the young ladies of the Jiang and Zhou families, and even marry the little disciple of the Grandmaster.”
Sang Chiyu slowly furrowed his brow. He sensed anger emanating from the boy called “Long ge.” He didn’t know why, but it seemed to come from the instinct of a wild animal that was always on guard. He was very sensitive to hostility and murderous intent, and he knew that these often foreshadowed attack and death.
“Since you can marry Su Ruhui, you can marry me. I’m better than Su Ruhui. That good-for-nothing’s secret arts is arithmetic, which is completely useless. Look at my secret arts,” Da Long held his palm toward the stream, drawing up a ball of water. He declared proudly, ”Pretty impressive, huh? I can even hunt with water arrows. Last time I hunted a wild boar and brought it back to town, even the village head said I had the ability to enter the Secret Sect. If I were born into a noble family, I would have joined the thirteen guards of the Secret Sect long ago. Don’t marry Su Ruhui, marry me instead.”
The kids behind him cheered, “Da Long ge, if you become the Grandmaster’s son-in-law, you can’t forget about us!”
Da Long declared proudly: “Of course! From now on, we’re all noble people!”
Sang Chiyu gently shook his head: “No, I want to marry Ruhui gege.”
Da Long angrily retorted: “Why? In what way am I inferior to Su Ruhui? He was just lucky to have Ming Ruowu as his master!”
Sang Chiyu replied: “Ruhui gege won’t get angry.”
Da Long choked, speechless for a long time. What kind of reason was won’t get angry? He liked Su Ruhui simply because Su Ruhui wouldn’t get angry! Da Long recalled Su Ruhui’s always carefree and jovial demeanor. Su Ruhui wouldn’t get angry because Su Ruhui was a simple minded bum!
Everyone left in disappointment with their heads hanging low, leaving only Sang Chiyu alone, washing socks with single-minded focus. Sang Chiyu worked up a lather with osmanthus scented soap, filling the basin with fragrant water. Even Su Ruhui’s stinky feet would smell fragrant if he wore the socks he washed.
Half an incense stick’s time later, Su Ruhui still hadn’t returned when the boy named Da Long appeared behind him. He turned his head, silently observing the fourteen-year-old youth.
Da Long said: “Su Ruhui fell from a mulberry tree while picking berries and broke his leg. He’s now in our town. The village head has already gone to notify Mister Ming. Wanna go see him?”
Sang Chiyu paused, then stood up, “Yes.”
“Then come with me. Didi, watch your step.”
The author has something to say:
The little brother became the wife.