The Lady Butcher and the Delicate Bride - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

After Mu Dingxiang and Chu Yu arrived, everything was calm and peaceful. There was none of the imagined scolding from Mother Mu or disdain from the villagers. Sitting down to eat together was actually quite harmonious, but at the Mu house, it felt like the dark clouds before a mountain storm.

Mu Kongqing had finally found an opportunity to curry favor with the Ji family, only to have it completely ruined by Mother Mu. He had become the laughingstock of others, and after returning home, he was so furious he slammed doors and chairs, making a series of crashing sounds throughout the house.

Mother Mu followed behind, watching her son throw a massive tantrum, her face full of disappointment that he “couldn’t turn into steel.”

“It’s all your fault, meddling in everything! Now I’m twenty-two and still can’t get a wife. Look at our village aside from those old bachelors, who else my age is still unmarried? I am a Xiucai, for goodness’ sake!” Mu Kongqing vented all his rage onto Mother Mu.

“Qing-er, of all the people to like, why did you have to pick that Liu Niannian? You know full well that I don’t get along with that dead old woman,” Mother Mu replied crossly.

“Tell me then, which family in this village do you get along with? I’m out there studying my heart out, and you’re back here doing nothing but causing trouble. Not to mention that business with the jail last time—once the people at the academy found out, I couldn’t lift my head for a long time.”

Mu Kongqing wasn’t lying about the jail incident. After the teachers and students at the academy found out, for a period of time, no matter where he walked, students pointed and whispered. Even the master teaching the curriculum had subtly mentioned to him that he should be careful to restrain his family members.

At the mention of the jail, Mother Mu’s voice immediately grew smaller, but she still said defiantly, “That whole thing was clearly a trap set by that wretch Chu Yu, otherwise I wouldn’t have ended up in such a state.”

“And you think you’re in the right? Who told you to let someone catch you red-handed! Of all the people to provoke, you provoke her a butcher who works with knives every day. You didn’t weigh your own strength before crossing her, and even Father and Second Brother had to go beg for mercy for you. Because of that, all the money for my studies is gone!” Mu Kongqing said, exasperated.

Ever since he learned that the Mu elders had traded Mu Dingxiang for twenty taels of silver, Mu Kongqing had felt a surge of excitement. With money at home, he could live a more dashing life outside. In the months prior, whenever he asked for his monthly allowance, Old Man Mu would always sigh and groan, making him constantly worry that the family couldn’t supply the silver.

Of course, he had wished he could get his hands on all twenty taels right then, but with Old Man Mu still around, there was no way he would give him all the money. Mu Kongqing had been depressed about it for a long while.

Who knew that Mother Mu’s imprisonment would follow? His father had spent fifteen taels just to fish his troublesome mother out of the great jail, and the money vanished instantly. Mu Kongqing was driven mad with rage. If it weren’t for the fact that he had to take the imperial examinations, he wouldn’t have wanted the family to spend a single cent to get Mother Mu out.

The past few months at home had been tight again, which was truly irritating.

Even more painful was seeing the younger students at the academy all getting married, surrounding themselves with lovely wives and concubines and living happily. Whenever he was asked, he was still a lone man. Many even questioned if there was something wrong with his body, wondering why he couldn’t get a wife at his age.

Now that he had finally set his sights on Liu Niannian, this old mother had to follow him to the door and cause a mess. How could it not make his lungs burst with anger?

Mother Mu had been guilty for a while because of the jail incident, but on the matter of Liu Niannian, she dug in her heels. No matter what was said, she wouldn’t budge. Mu Kongqing, in a fit of rage, slammed the door and returned to the academy.

Over at the Ji house, the feast was at its height. Mu Dingxiang and Chu Yu sat at the same table as the village women. Although everyone didn’t think much of two women being together, Chu Yu’s fierce reputation preceded her, and no one dared to provoke her.

Furthermore, Mu Dingxiang had been mistreated nearly to death by Mother Mu since childhood. Most of the village women didn’t get along with Mother Mu, so they were naturally closer to Mu Dingxiang. Before Mu Dingxiang followed Chu Yu, her situation was truly piteous. Several families had hired her to cut pig grass; the girl was hardworking and steady, and everyone liked her.

Now that she was at this table with a different status, a few of the leading sisters-in-law spoke a few words to liven the atmosphere, and the whole table became lively again.

Some women even placed several large pieces of meat into her bowl, urging her to eat more.

Mu Dingxiang had never received such care. Surprised and moved, she hurriedly lifted her head, her small face red as she thanked the women. Seeing her pretty and delicate appearance, the sisters-in-law pitied her even more and couldn’t help but disparage Mother Mu’s faults.

Seeing this, Chu Yu could easily imagine what kind of life the girl had led before. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for her. Fearing she might be uncomfortable, Chu Yu spoke up and told the sisters to eat quickly. The women knew the girl was shy, giggled, and seeing the pile of good food on the table, they stopped worrying about anything else and began to feast heartily.

It was the first time Mu Dingxiang had been treated this way, and she was deeply moved. But she also knew that the reason she could sit in the Ji family’s courtyard, wearing decent clothes and eating at the same table as the village women, was all thanks to Chu Yu. If she hadn’t met her by the river that day, she might already be a ghost in the Xijiang River, or sold to Widower Zhang to be abused to death.

Even if she had luckily survived, she would likely still be working in the fields at this moment. Where would she have the chance to sit here, eating tenderly stewed pig trotters and enjoying the food the village women placed in her bowl?

Thinking of this, she turned her head to look at the person beside her, only to find that person was also looking at her.

Chu Yu, seeing her eyes slightly red, thought she was having trouble adjusting and asked softly if she felt uncomfortable—if she did, Chu Yu would take her home.

Mu Dingxiang shook her head and turned back to continue eating.

Chu Yu understood instantly what was happening. Her palm lightly grasped the girl’s hand under the table, as if giving her silent comfort.

Ji Yunniang and Old Lady Ji were at the same table. Turning her head, Yunniang happened to catch this scene. Although she had never seen two women in a relationship before, and had been dazed for a while when she first heard about it this morning, seeing the way these two interacted in private made her feel it was rare and precious. The small “knot” she had in her heart gradually disappeared.

Just then, her sixteen-year-old daughter, Liu Niannian, tugged at her sleeve and said, “Mother, I don’t like their family.”

Ji Yunniang naturally knew who her daughter was talking about. Thinking of the way Mu Kongqing stared at Liu Niannian, she felt uncomfortable all over. She comforted her daughter, saying, “In the future, avoid them when you see them, especially that Mu Kongqing. Never be alone with him.”

Liu Niannian nodded. Previously, when she occasionally went to the family’s restaurant, she had run into Mu Kongqing several times. Since then, the man had tried to curry favor with her repeatedly.

But whenever she looked at Mu Kongqing, she remembered every holiday when she returned to her grandmother’s house and saw Mother Mu scolding from one end of the village to the other. She was incredibly crude and inspired deep loathing.

Therefore, when Mu Kongqing tried to get close to her, she had largely ignored him. She hadn’t expected that today, during her grandmother’s birthday, he would barge in like that. Liu Niannian knew his target was herself, and she was scared into hiding behind her mother. Fortunately, no one had noticed the details.

After comforting her daughter, Ji Yunniang thought for a moment and said, “That San-ya is a good one. You don’t need to avoid her if you run into her; she is a good child.”

Liu Niannian didn’t know much about Mu Dingxiang. Although her mother said so, she just nodded, but in her heart, she secretly decided that she shouldn’t have any connection with anyone from the Mu family, including that San-ya.

After the meal, the party began to break up. A few women stayed behind to help tidy up. There was a lot of food prepared and quite a bit left over; those who stayed behind were happy because they would be given some leftover meat to take home.

Chu Yu and Mu Dingxiang took their leave of Old Lady Ji. The old lady was still thinking about going to the kitchen to wrap some meat for her to take back, but Mu Dingxiang, moved as she was, hurriedly refused. Ji Yunniang also persuaded her, saying that the current San-ya was different from before with Chu Yu around, she wouldn’t sink to having no food to eat.

Old Lady Ji finally dropped the idea and, along with Ji Yunniang, saw the two of them out of the courtyard.

After Chu Yu mounted the horse, she reached out her hand to Mu Dingxiang as usual. Once she was up, Chu Yu pulled her into her embrace, one hand gripping the reins and the other tightly around her waist. She turned to the Ji mother and daughter and said, “Auntie Ji, Sister Ji, please stay here.”

Mu Dingxiang also poked her head out from her embrace and said, “Auntie, Auntie Ji, we’re leaving.”

Ji Yunniang saw the two of them being so intimate and natural, without a trace of bashfulness. Looking back at herself and others, who always looked at them with strange eyes, it actually made her feel that they were being too pedantic and small-minded. With such a comparison, she suddenly felt her heart clear and open up.

But hearing how they addressed her, she laughed: “Chu Yu, you call me ‘Sister Ji,’ yet San-ya calls me ‘Auntie.’ You two are a whole generation apart!”

Chu Yu laughed too: “Indeed, a generation apart. Xiangxiang is ten years younger than me.”

Old Lady Ji gave her daughter a glare and said, “What does it matter what they call you? Being a bit older is good; she’ll know how to take care of people. This child San-ya has suffered too much. Chu girl, you must take good care of her. I watched this child grow up; she is truly piteous.”

Chu Yu looked down at Mu Dingxiang in her arms, then turned back to Old Lady Ji and said, “Don’t worry. Now that Xiangxiang is with me, I will naturally treasure her.”

Hearing her say this, although Mu Dingxiang knew Chu Yu was just saying polite words to ease Old Lady Ji’s mind, she couldn’t help but take the sentence as a promise. A sense of happiness bloomed in her heart, and with a slightly red face, she leaned into Chu Yu’s embrace and urged her to leave.

The horse finally began to run, heading toward the end of Furong Village. Listening to the wind whistling past her ears, Mu Dingxiang felt as if she were in a dream.

Then she heard Chu Yu speak softly by her ear: “Xiangxiang, about what we talked about that night… I think right now, we don’t necessarily have to find a definitive answer. Heaven sent you to my side so I wouldn’t have to be alone, and I am very grateful for that. I’m sure you are the same gratitude outweighs the rest.

But that doesn’t mean we’ll always stay where we are in the future. In my heart, I have a fondness for you that is different from others; I pity you, I cherish you… I think we can just take things slowly for a while. After some time has passed, these things will eventually have an answer. What do you say?”

Mu Dingxiang had already seen past things while at the Ji house. Now that Chu Yu had spoken this way, she didn’t harbor as many obsessions as before. Furthermore, she knew that Chu Yu was now seriously considering their relationship, which was the best possible start. She nodded and said, “Alright.”

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