Ch 205 (Extra 16): The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Qu Weiwei Side Story 5

After that, Qu Weiwei did not come to Lantang Village for quite a long time.

Li Nan spent his mornings studying at the school down the mountain, and in the afternoons he did simple sweeping and cleaning work around the estate. It was not difficult, and he actually worked less than he had back at home. On top of that, there was good food and drink every day.

He changed back into his old clothes, while the outfits Qu Weiwei bought for him were carefully stored away. First, because when someone with his appearance wore such bright, tender colors, nobody except Qu Weiwei appreciated it. Others would only laugh behind his back. Second, because he could not bear to wear them carelessly.

Li Nan gently stroked that rosy-red outfit. Whenever he saw it, he still thought of Qu Weiwei.

That day outside the door, he had heard very clearly.

Tai-tai liked him…

Just thinking about those words made Li Nan’s heart pound wildly.

So women could like ge’er too?

Could women and ge’er be together?

Ever since childhood, the ideas instilled into him were that he would grow up and marry a man. He had never once heard of a ge’er being with a woman. In all of Anping County, there had never been a single example.

Moreover, as an unmarried ge’er from ancient times, he barely even understood how men and women or men and ge’er got together. He only vaguely knew that if two people took off their clothes and slept together on the same heated bed platform, babies could result.

He had younger siblings at home too, and he helped his mother raise them. His younger brother was a boy. When they were young, Li Nan helped bathe them, so what part of his brother’s body had he not seen? His younger brother had the same things he did. Only his younger sister looked different from them.

So why could boys marry women, but ge’er could not?

Li Nan could not understand no matter how much he thought about it.

But… but Tai-tai had said she liked him…

And she even considered his feelings, which was why she had not taken him into her room.

But if he himself did not even know how women and ge’er could be together, how could he know whether he would accept it or not?

Li Nan gently pressed the clothing against his chest.

Two months later, Shen Qing had some account books that needed to be delivered to the flowering sausage shop in the county. Since Li Nan was a local of the county and had only recently separated from his family, Shen Qing had him make the delivery so he could also visit his parents along the way.

Li Nan was extremely grateful. He was also worried that after he left, the Zhao family and that yamen runner surnamed Ding might bully his parents again.

After returning to the county, he first delivered the account books to the shop before hurrying home.

Fortunately, everything at home remained unchanged. The moment his mother and younger siblings saw him return, they hugged him and cried again, while his father stood nearby with reddened eyes.

“Things at home are fine, don’t worry. Are you living well over there? The Shen family is famous for their kindness. Your mother isn’t worried…” His mother wiped away tears. Even though she knew the Shen family were good people, suddenly being separated from her ge’er still hurt her heart. “That damned Zhao family! Bullies who fear the strong and prey on the weak!”

Originally, after accepting Qu Weiwei’s silver, Mudan had advised their family to rent another place and hide for a while. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. But finding a new house was not easy, and after dragging things out several days, life unexpectedly stayed peaceful.

With Qu Weiwei backing them, the Zhao family did not even dare fart in their direction. That yamen runner surnamed Ding no longer even patrolled this area. Because of that, the Li family ended up saving the silver they would have spent relocating.

“Your father’s stall has also been going smoothly these days. Forget the Zhao family. Usually even small vendors fight over those few inches of street space, but lately everyone’s been polite to your father. They’ve even been asking what kind of work you do in the Shen household.”

As Madam Li rambled on, she pulled Qu Weiwei’s money pouch from the heated-bed cabinet and stuffed it back into Li Nan’s hands.

“Our family already borrowed enough prestige from that noble lady. We’re fortunate enough already. We absolutely cannot keep her silver too. Take it back and return it to that lady. If she refuses it, then keep it for yourself. Your parents can’t look after you in that huge estate, and you might need money unexpectedly someday. Usually you should devote yourself to serving Tai-tai properly. She’s the great benefactor of our whole family.”

The money pouch was exquisite and beautiful, embroidered with a cluster of crape myrtle blossoms, just like Qu Weiwei herself.

Li Nan thought to himself that he truly did want to serve Tai-tai wholeheartedly. But two whole months had passed without Tai-tai even showing her face. Even if he wanted to serve her eagerly, he had no chance.

Holding the money pouch absentmindedly, he nodded vaguely. Then, watching his younger siblings running wildly around the room, a thought suddenly stirred in his mind.

“Mother…”

“What is it?”

Li Nan’s lips moved slightly. In the end, he was still an unmarried ge’er, and embarrassment made his face redden faintly.

“…Nothing. Where’s the dowry you prepared for me before? I want to look for something.”

He and the Zhao family boy had nearly gotten married, so even though the dowry was not especially rich, his family had still prepared it.

Now that the marriage was canceled, Madam Li said,

“It’s all stored under your bed. Once you leave the Shen household in the future, your father and I can add a little more over the next couple years. We should be able to arrange you an even better marriage then.”

After all, someone who came out of the Shen household carried prestige.

“We can talk about marriage later. Don’t worry about it. What if the Shen family arranges a good match for me like they did for Brother Mudan?”

Li Nan laughed awkwardly and nudged his mother.

“I eat and drink so well in the Shen household, but I’ve been craving the egg dough-drop soup you make, Mother. Can you make me a bowl? I’ll eat before heading back.”

“You child. Living in a blessed nest where you can eat anything you want, yet you still crave this rough peasant food.”

Madam Li poked his forehead, though inwardly she was very happy.

“Your mother will make it right now!”

After sending Madam Li away, Li Nan gave some pastries to his younger siblings and told them to go play outside. Then he secretly dragged out the dowry from beneath the bed.

His dowry consisted of two large wooden chests containing fabric, sewing supplies, a set of coarse porcelain bowls and chopsticks, and some simple household items.

Li Nan ignored all of that and instead dug around at the very bottom of the chest. Beneath the folded fabric lay a small booklet.

It was the “fire-avoidance illustrations” hidden at the bottom of the dowry chest.

Before women and ge’er got married, mothers and female elders would carefully explain such matters to them while giving them one of these illustrated booklets. Madam Li was a woman, and the one she received in her own dowry back then had depicted a man and woman together. That would eventually be passed down to her daughter. This new booklet had recently been bought from the bookshop and depicted a man with a ge’er instead.

Li Nan had seen Madam Li place the booklet into his dowry before, but back then he had been too embarrassed to peek at it. Now, when he opened it, the drawings immediately made his face burn hot.

Two naked people were embracing each other.

But the drawings were crude, and it was difficult to tell exactly how things were done.

He felt somewhat disappointed, but still secretly tucked the booklet into his clothes.

That afternoon, after eating a simple meal at home, Li Nan bid farewell to his family and prepared to return to Lantang Village.

Yet just as he exited the alley, he unexpectedly ran straight into the Zhao family.

The Zhao couple had visibly aged over the last two months. Upon seeing Li Nan, they first looked furious, then somewhat fearful. Lowering their heads, they hurried along the wall.

“Bah!”

Madam Li spat toward their backs.

Since the Zhao family failed to extort Li Nan away, they ultimately could not bear to spend money buying a dead little girl or ge’er from the villages below the mountain either. Perhaps they had tried but could not afford it. In the end, they merely burned a few paper effigies for their dead son.

“So paper dolls are acceptable after all? Black-hearted creatures insisting on harming my ge’er.”

Li Nan tugged gently on his mother’s hand.

“Forget it. Cornering a dog in a dead-end alley makes it likely to bite back. They only had that one son, and now he’s gone. If they’re pushed too far, who knows what reckless things they might do. It wouldn’t be worth it for our family. If we see them in the future, just pretend they don’t exist. Don’t spit at them anymore either. Curse them all you want once you’re home.”

“You really have become educated now, talking in such polished ways.”

Madam Li sighed emotionally, though she still listened to her ge’er. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. After all, aside from Li Nan, the remaining children were still young. They truly did need to stay cautious.

A thought stirred in Li Nan’s heart. After leaving home, he did not exit the city. Instead, he headed toward a bookstore.

Anping County had several bookstores, but this one was especially famous. Not because it stocked more classics or scholarly works, but because it stood between a pleasure house and a hidden prostitution alley, selling nothing but erotic books. The “fire-avoidance illustrations” in Li Nan’s clothes had also been bought here by Madam Li.

The instructional booklets sold for ge’er and women before marriage were still relatively proper. Who knew how much more scandalous the other books were?

Unless a household had children preparing for marriage, respectable families normally avoided coming here altogether.

Li Nan covered his face with a handkerchief and hesitated outside the entrance, wanting to go in but not daring to.

All the shop assistants inside were boys. How could he even ask?

“Do you know whether ge’er and women can be together? Are there books about ge’er and women together?”

He could not even ask those questions to his own mother, let alone some unfamiliar young man.

He lurked suspiciously outside the bookstore for quite a while. As evening gradually fell, an employee came out to hang lanterns outside.

The hidden prostitution alley nearby also began hanging lanterns, though theirs were reddish-orange. Inside, women and ge’er sat on their doorsteps. They did not actively solicit customers, merely throwing flirtatious glances at passersby while casually chatting and cracking sunflower seeds.

Suddenly inspired, Li Nan looked toward an older ge’er standing at the alley entrance with thick makeup smeared across his face.

This ge’er was relatively proactive and occasionally tried tugging at passing customers, though perhaps due to age and fading beauty, he repeatedly failed. Still, he never became discouraged and continued smiling cheerfully, appearing to have a rather good temperament.

Taking advantage of a moment when nobody was nearby, Li Nan cautiously approached him.

“This… this gege, could you… could you accompany me and talk for a little while? Just one hour. I’ll pay. I want to ask something.”

In truth, the women and ge’er within the alley had already noticed Li Nan long ago, including the bookstore clerks. Li Nan thought he was being subtle, unaware how conspicuous he really looked pacing back and forth outside.

Seeing his respectable appearance, people merely assumed it understandable and secretly watched him like entertainment.

But nobody expected him to suddenly approach one of the hidden prostitutes. Instantly, everyone nearby perked up their ears to listen.

“Looking for someone? Then you’ve asked the wrong person. Even if I knew, I couldn’t tell you.”

Usually the hidden prostitution alley consisted of retired older prostitutes buying two children to raise, teaching them how to serve men. They were not officially registered with the government. Before nightfall, the place looked no different from ordinary homes. Only after dark did they hang up the red lanterns and open for business.

As for those purchased children, they came from all sorts of backgrounds. Some had genuinely been sold by their families, while others had been kidnapped.

Still, this alley had its own rules. If anyone dared reveal information about where a child came from, they would never survive in this alley again.

Li Nan quickly shook his head.

“I’m not asking about people. I want to ask about something else… Let’s just go talk at the restaurant across the street. I’ll treat you to food. And… and help me buy a book too.”

He absolutely did not dare step into the alley itself. What if he somehow got dragged in too?

The request was strange. The ge’er eyed Li Nan sideways.

“My time’s expensive. One hour costs two qian silver.”

Li Nan immediately relaxed.

Inside the pouch Madam Li had just returned to him was Qu Weiwei’s silver, more than twenty taels worth. He quickly nodded.

The ge’er had not expected agreement to come so easily. At his age, with fading beauty, he had long ceased being worth such a price. Earning two qian silver normally took him two or three days. After thinking it over, he agreed. Who would refuse money if they could avoid serving stinking men?

“Let’s go. I suppose I’ll enjoy some luxury for once. Two qian silver plus a good meal? At that point, I’d even be willing to serve you once.”

The ge’er glanced teasingly downward between Li Nan’s legs.

“Too bad you can’t do it.”

Laughter immediately erupted throughout the alley.

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