Chapter 18: The Ugly Ger’s Farming Story

“I got it, thank you, Xie Ama!”

“Why does it sound so awkward? Thanking me for this and that,” Xie Ama said, pulling the excited Xu Qing to sit down and teasing him.

“By the way, I heard some discussions in the village today about the situation with Li Changfeng’s family. The Li family had separated with Li Changfeng. Did he inform you about it?” Xie Ama recalled overhearing a conversation while he was out looking for vegetables, involving someone who had just returned from Jixiang Village and was talking with Wei Ama. As soon as Xie Ama heard it was about the Li family, he joined in to listen, and what did he hear? “I heard about Li Changfeng being kicked out!”

Xu Qing listened quietly to Xie Ama’s words. “He mentioned it.”

Xie Ama couldn’t help but give Xu Qing a frustrated pat. “What are you thinking?! Yes, it’s one thing to split from the family, but being kicked out is not a good thing. Moreover,” Xie Ama whispered, “Li’s third son is involved in this matter too!”

Xu Qing, pretending to be confused, asked, “How is Li’s third son involved?”

Xie Ama sighed softly. “That Li’s third son is also a well-known figure around here. He passed the scholar examination a few years ago! Ah, that was quite a show-off, a remarkable achievement!”

“Are there many scholars in our town?”

Xie Ama glared, “Do you think scholars are as common as cabbage? They’re everywhere? Is there a shortage?!”

“Hehe, I just don’t know the situation well. Please continue! Please continue!” Xu Qing’s grinning and funny appearance amused Xie Ama.

It turned out that this Li’s third son was also someone of importance. In all of Xingfu Village, Jixiang Village, and Anle Village, there were only six scholars in total. Among them, Xingfu Village had two, Anle Village had three, and this last village only had Li’s third son. “I have to admit, when Li’s third son passed the scholar examination, he was the youngest among all the villages!”

“What was the oldest age for someone to pass the scholar examination?”

Xie Ama stretched out his hands and waved them in front of Xu Qing’s eyes. “This is…?” It couldn’t be fifty, right?!

“Fifty! It was from Anle Village. Afterward, he realized he couldn’t pass the examination, so he opened a school in Anle Village and became a teacher. Believe it or not, he was quite successful! The two scholars who passed the examination later were his students!”

“This person really benefited the villagers!” Xu Qing knew that Xingfu Village didn’t have a school. If someone wanted to study, they had to travel for about an hour and a half to Anle Village.

Xie Ama spoke with respect, “Exactly. But after Li’s third son passed the examination, he tried a few more times without success for the higher level exam. The local teacher in the town kindly advised him.” Xie Ama adjusted his expression and imitated the tone of that teacher, “You, young man, have plenty of time to try other things! Not everyone excels in this field!”

After saying that, Xie Ama and Xu Qing burst into laughter. “Later, this remark spread, and Li’s third son couldn’t bear the embarrassment of continuing his studies. Even if he wanted to study, his family didn’t have the extra money to support him.”

Feeling humiliated, Li’s third son returned to Jixiang Village, carrying the title of a scholar. But he was a countryman by nature; a scholar by identity only, and yet not as physically strong as an ordinary man.

“Later, the village head of Jixiang Village, at the request of the villagers, asked this Li’s third son to open a school, just like the one in Anle Village. For those who couldn’t afford tuition, they would offer some food in return. They simply hoped their children would gain some basic knowledge! However, this Li’s third son considered himself superior and refused to become a teacher. He believed that one day he might unexpectedly pass the examination!”

“Then the villagers must be annoyed with him?” If that was the case, then the two gers that Xu Qing met at the market today, who mentioned Li’s third son with disdain, must have been referring to this situation. It didn’t seem right for someone with scholarly achievements to be regarded like that. After all, he had gained fame as a scholar!

Xie Ama smirked, “Exactly. He doesn’t even consider that the Li family supported him throughout all those years of studying. He refuses to become a teacher, yet he can’t exert himself in physical labor either! He indulges in daydreams and still had the audacity to claim a portion of Li Changfeng’s share! He’s quite something!”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Did Li Laosan really force Li Changfeng out from the Li family? But Xu Qing had another speculation in his mind.

Xie Ama was still worried. “Li Changfeng is good in every aspect, except that he’s too honest! It’s a good thing he married into your family; otherwise, who knows how he would have been bullied by others!”

Xu Qing shook his head inwardly. It seemed that many people had been deceived by that person. He originally thought he had found a simple and honest golden retriever, but little did he know it was a cunning hunting dog!

***

It was already noon, but there wasn’t the usual spring heat in the forest. Instead, a gentle breeze caressed their faces, bringing a sense of nature. Chen Qi and Li Changfeng were walking towards the village, each carrying a bundle of firewood.

Chen Qi casually asked, pretending to be relaxed, “You suddenly decided to marry in, which startled me! It would have been nice if you had given me a heads up, so I could be mentally prepared!”

Li Changfeng effortlessly navigated through the trees and bushes in the mountains, carrying the stack of firewood. Some leaves fluttered around his legs.

“What do you need to be mentally prepared for? It’s not like we’re living together!”

Chen Qi felt dissatisfied. “Regardless, we grew up playing in the mud together! Don’t bring up other matters!”

Apart from Chen Qi, there was only one younger brother (ger) in his family. When Chen Qi was seventeen or eighteen, he got married, but they still hadn’t had any children. Fortunately, Chen Qi’s parents were not pushy people, and life was going smoothly. Five years ago, it was Chen Qi who went to serve in the military.

“I like him, and I’m getting older. If I don’t get married soon, I’ll have to marry someone arranged by the officials.”

Li Changfeng remembered Xu Qing warmly in his heart. He hadn’t received any news from him until now, and he didn’t know how he was doing. He heard that the 28th of this month was an auspicious day, and many couples had chosen that day!

“You like him? What does he look like?”

Chen Qi picked up a tree branch from the side of the road and kept hitting the bundle of firewood carried by Li Changfeng, making a continuous “tada” sound. The sharp, thin sound seemed to echo the owner’s eager emotions.

“It’s definitely not like you!” Li Changfeng, upon reaching a fork in the road, headed towards his own path without paying any attention to Chen Qi, who had a gloomy face.

“This kid!”

Chen Qi shrugged his shoulders, causing the branches that were poking him to shift position. He walked towards the other path. Their homes were separated by these two diverging paths—neither too far nor too close.

“You’re back? Hurry up, wash your hands and have dinner!”

Chen Qi’s wife, upon hearing his distinctive footsteps, didn’t even turn his head as he collected the blankets drying in the yard. Chen Qi’s wife was from Anle Village, with an open and generous personality. However, there was one obstacle in his heart—he hadn’t been able to give birth to a child for so many years since marrying Chen Qi!

Chen Qi responded with a sound and placed the firewood behind the woodshed. He twisted his neck and said, “Hey, I have to say, it’s been a few years since I chopped firewood, and I’m feeling a bit rusty today!”

Chen Ama brought the meal to the table and heard Chen Qi’s loud voice from the yard. He glared at Father Chen, who was sitting in the main room smoking a dry cigarette. “I don’t know who he takes after, shouting so loudly as if others couldn’t hear!”

Father Chen was indifferent to his wife’s complaints. At this time, a pleasant voice rang out, “Ama is saying that the eldest brother is becoming more and more like Father!”

Suddenly, a handsome young ger of about 1.7 meters tall emerged from the room, holding a basket of embroidered handkerchiefs. This was Chen Qi’s younger brother, Chen Hong, who was fifteen years old this year and at the prime age for marriage.

As Father Chen saw his son coming out, all his frustration dissipated. Chen Hong was his second child, and he was one of the most handsome young gers in the village. He excelled at embroidery and was filial—a true treasure.

“It’s all because of your brother’s loud voice, causing a commotion!” Chen Hong placed the basket of embroidery on a small cabinet in the main room. He took out a finished embroidered handkerchief from inside and handed it to Chen Ama, saying, “Ama, this is a new pattern I just embroidered. Take a look, what do you think?”

“What do I think?” Chen Qi, upon entering the main room, heard the last part of Chen Hong’s sentence. Chen Hong smiled and called out, “Brother, Brother, I was telling Ama about the handkerchief I just finished. If it’s good enough, I’ll sell it.”

Chen Qi leaned in closer to his father, looking at the embroidered handkerchief he was playing with in his hand. “Younger brother’s embroidery is one of the best in the village!”

Chen Ama listened happily to his son’s praise. His eyes were filled with satisfaction. “There’s no need to say that. Alright, let’s eat quickly. I’ll sell this handkerchief tomorrow morning. It’s a new pattern, so it should fetch a good price!”

Chen Qi had already set up the bowls and chopsticks, serving his father and himself a bowl of semi-thin porridge each. Although their family wasn’t impoverished, they were not a particularly affluent farming household.

Chen Hong sipped his porridge and glanced at Chen Qi, who was devouring his bread on the opposite side. “Brother, did you go to see Brother Changfeng this morning?”

Chen Qi stuffed a mouthful of wild vegetables and replied without much thought, “Yeah, that guy decided to marry into someone’s household without even giving us a heads-up!”

Chen Hong’s hand holding the bowl tightened slightly, and he pursed his lips. Chen Ama scolded Chen Qi with a glare, “What did I tell you!”

Chen Qi was puzzled. Why did his Ama and that guy Li Changfeng say the same thing? “After all, we grew up together. What’s wrong with caring about each other?”

Chen Qi’s wife noticed that Chen Hong seemed absent-minded. He looked at the still-resisting Chen Qi and remembered that this morning, Chen Hong had asked Chen Ama to inquire about the truth of Li Changfeng, the second son of the Li family, splitting off. He hoped it wouldn’t turn out as Chen Hong feared, but it turned out Li Changfeng had already been betrothed to another young ger.

Chen Qi’s wife casually picked up a piece of food and gently tapped Chen Hong, who was lost in thought. “Here, eat a bit more, or your brother will finish everything soon!”

Chen Hong snapped out of his reverie and listened to his brother-in-law’s words. He picked up another piece of food and replied, “Let’s all eat more so that big brother doesn’t have to wait impatiently!”

Father Chen and Chen Ama burst into laughter upon hearing this. Chen Qi didn’t mind. He continued to play the pitiful role, which made everyone at the table laugh even more. Chen Hong’s charming face bloomed like a camellia in the mountains, exuding beauty.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thingyan: “Well, well, well, are you surprised for a full new chapter?”

Pulling her imaginary beard, the translator spoke in a tone of an old Chinese Wuxia master. She then vowed to her readers respectfully and thanked them for their support.

He he he!