ABPUBALC - Chapter 9

 Chapter 9: Confession

The courtyard was a mess. Hewn wood and dried mugwort were scattered across the yard, but Gu Qiming was in no state to pay it any attention at the moment.

Upon seeing that Gu Qiming had actually given two taels of silver to those people, Lin Xing’s eyes turned red in worry. They had originally come for him, and it was he who had gotten Brother Gu involved…

“Sit down and wait for a bit, I’ll get something for your cheek.” Lin Xing was helplessly pressed onto the stool by him, only feeling dizzy. Shouldn't they first discuss what to do tomorrow? They couldn't really marry him with silver... But he didn't dare to say this. Brother Gu's face was too intimidating when it was dark.

He obediently sat beneath the eaves, watching as Gu Qiming filled a bucket of water into a basin, then took a towel from the yard and dipped it before wringing it dry.

Gu Qiming crouched down, gently placing the cold towel on the left side of Lin Xing’s swollen face. Since there were no ice packs available, this was the only option.

These people were really ruthless. By the looks of it, these injuries won’t get better in just a few days. Gu Qiming cursed these people harshly in his mind.

“Hmph.”

With throbbing pain shooting down the left side of his face, the cool touch of the dipped towel felt incredibly soothing.

Gu Qiming thought that he had accidentally used too much force and ended up hurting him, so he lightened his grip a bit.

Tall as he is, when he crouched down, he was almost eye-level with Lin Xing who was sitting on the stool. Gu Qiming didn’t dare to get too close, for fear of frightening the lad. But the yard was extremely quiet, to the point that he could feel Lin Xing’s nervous breathing.

He tried his best to find a topic to ease the atmosphere: “What happened today? Why did the Lins suddenly come to cause trouble?”

Gu Qiming remembered Zhang Shen mentioning that Lin Xing didn’t have a good relationship with his family, but he didn’t expect it to be this bad. From the look of things today, they didn’t seem like a family at all, but more like sworn enemies.

Lin Xing took the towel from Gu Qiming’s hand and remained silent for a long time, his head bowed. He wondered how to tell Gu Qiming about the things that had been long buried inside the family’s closet.

[e/n: raw said: 腌瓒事 which could be read as ’‘salted/pickled/marinated matter’. Imagine your family secrets being salted and buried heh]

“It’s alright, if you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t. After tomorrow, they won’t be able to bother you anymore.”

When Gu Qiming saw Lin Xing’s troubled expression, he didn’t ask any more questions. If speaking about it could make Lin Xing feel a little better, he would be willing to listen. But if it would only make the youth sad, then he might as well not ask.

Lin Xing shook his head: “These past few days, I don’t know where they heard that I had earned silver from working in town. Yesterday I coincidentally bumped into Lin Hao on the road, he asked me for money but I didn’t give him any. But he didn’t make things too difficult for me, he just told me to be careful...”

No wonder, so they really did come for the money.

Gu Qiming asked again, “Who hit you?”

Lin Xing obediently answered, “Li Yan, Lin Hao’s biological mother.” "In front of everyone, she said many harsh things. I retorted a couple of times, which annoyed her, and in a moment of carelessness, I ended up taking a hit. In the presence of the village head, I couldn't retaliate against her."

If they hadn’t brought the village head, he wouldn’t have let himself suffer such a big loss.

Actually, Li Yan’s words were more than harsh at the time; they were almost unbearable to listen to. Who knew how Lin Xing managed to endure without starting a fight with her?

“Okay, this is enough for now. You can tell me the rest another day, whenever you feel comfortable.” Seeing that his expression had eased up quite a bit, Lin Xing asked tentatively, "Are you really going to sign an agreement with them tomorrow?"

That’s a whole six taels of silver! Not an amount every average family can boast of having. Even when his eldest sister, Lin Mei, got married, the other party only offered 2 taels of silver and 600 wen. Marriages in the village generally don’t exceed 3 taels.

Gu Qiming laughed. “What, are you afraid I’m going to marry you?” Lin Xing’s face went red and he quickly lowered his head. “I… I didn’t mean that. It’s just that six taels of silver is a lot. You’ve already helped me this much- and I’ll slowly return it all to you.”

“What money are you talking about? Do you really not want to marry me?” Gu Qiming grew anxious, "Look, we've been together for more than half a month now. You know what kind of person I am. Can't you really not tell how I feel about you?"

How you feel?

Lin Xing dared not think any further.

Brother Gu treated him well in his day-to-day life, taking good care of him, but he never dared to think too deeply about it.

Gu Qiming excelled at hunting, was always brimming with novel ideas, treating others with gentle kindness, and standing tall and handsome. In contrast, he saw himself as having nothing. If it came to looks, there were plenty who surpassed him easily; his woodworking skills were mediocre at best. In the village, he garnered little admiration. A man as outstanding as Brother Gu shouldn’t be tied down to someone like him.

Seeing that he wasn’t speaking, Gu Qiming became even more anxious. He stood up abruptly, thinking, ’‘Could it be that Lin Xing already has someone he likes? How am I supposed to pursue him then?’

“Why is that?” Gu Qiming asked cautiously. “Is it... is it because there’s already someone you have taken a liking to?”

“No, no, that’s not it. How could you even think that?” Lin Xing was at his wits’ end. In the past, he was so busy every day that he didn’t even have half a day of free time, and now he’s with Brother Gu every single day. How could he possibly have the time, or energy, to like someone else?

Gu Qiming patted his chest, “That’s good to hear. I thought you might’ve already had someone in your heart.” Otherwise, wouldn’t that mean he’d have no chance at all?

“Why won’t you accept me, am I really that terrible?” He had observed Lin Xing’s demeanor these past days; if there wasn’t someone else in his heart, it would be impossible for him to feel nothing toward him.

Whether it was the shy, evasive glances or the occasional, lost stares directed at him, Gu Qiming always believed he had a special place in the youngster’s heart. Could he have been mistaken all along!? Surely, it couldn’t be just an affection for his mere appearance.

His tone was full of grievance, like a big dog whining as its master left the house, thinking it had been abandoned. Lin Xing dared not look at him, only lowering his head even more.

“It’s not you; you’re not lacking in any way. The fault lies with me.” "I'm good for nothing, not even pleasant to look at, and I have a bad reputation in the village. You shouldn't have fallen for me."

What?!

Gu Qiming was shocked. ’‘How did he come to such a conclusion? These gossips in the village really cause a lot of harm.’

He sighed, trying to sound as relaxed as possible: “Xingxing, look at me.” Subconsciously following Gu Qiming's words, Lin Xing looked up, only to feel as though he had stumbled into a pond brimming with affectionate sentiments. In that pond, only his reflection could be seen.

In a panic, he attempted to look away but was caught by Gu Qiming, who bent down and lightly grasped his chin, rendering him unable to move even slightly.

“Xingxing, I don’t know how you came to such a conclusion, but I want to tell you, you are the most stunning and remarkable person that I, Gu Qiming, have ever laid eyes on.”

“Hmm... How should I put it? In our village’s terms, you’d be considered handsome and charming, appealing yet adorable. If you were in our village, I’m sure a lot of girls would fancy you.”

“You can cook, tailor clothes, and even do carpentry. At such a young age, you’re able to support a family. You are strong, and you have a heart of compassion for strangers you’ve never met. How could someone like you ever be considered inadequate?”

Lin Xing’s hands trembled, his eyes brimming with tears. Could he truly be as wonderful as Gu Ge said?

He covered his face, tears pouring out as if to vent, and cried, “I... I dare not even think about it. Gu Ge, everyone says I’m not a proper son, calling me a calamity, a jinx. Those who come to ask for my hand in marriage are all after my family’s business. I can’t bring myself to believe that anyone could truly like me.”

Seeing his face streaked with tears, Gu Qiming felt as though each droplet wasn’t falling to the ground but striking the very tip of his heart.

He earnestly wiped away Lin Xing’s tears, “So what do we do now? This brother only has eyes for you, and I like you so much. Could you consider marrying this brother?”

Gu Qiming watched Lin Xing fall into silence once again, thinking he might not receive a response this time. It was only when even the wind had calmed down that he caught the nearly imperceptible nod from Lin Xing.

---

The Lin family, upon receiving the two taels of silver, returned home with smiles blooming like spring flowers on their faces. Without delay, they slaughtered two chickens and ducks to stew in the pot. When Lin Er returned from town and learned of this, he lavishly praised his son for the job well done. At the dinner table, he did not forget to scold Lin Xing.

“Lin Xing truly doesn’t know what’s good for him. Having received so much silver, he doesn’t even know to personally deliver it to his father. After all, it’s his own grandfather we’re talking about. He completely lacks any sense of filial piety.”

“Yes, indeed,” Li Yan agreed, “After all these years, our family has done everything we possibly could for him, showing nothing but kindness and fulfilling our duty. Always roaming around outside, looking like who knows what, if you ask me, now that he’s about to get married, it’s time he returned the Lin family’s courtyard.”

Li Yan, having received the silver, was still not satisfied. She still remembered the year when she failed to acquire the dilapidated shop in town from the hands of Lin Xing and his mother.

“Enough!” Old Man Lin slammed the table, startling everyone seated around it.

Li Yan knew exactly what he was thinking, and listened to him speak: “After all, we are Lin Xing’s own family. That Gu Qiming is not someone easy to deal with. He barely exchanged a few words before wanting to resort to violence. When Lin Xing can’t stand it any longer, sooner or later, he’ll come begging me to let him come back home.”

After speaking, he turned to Li Yan and said, “Now that we have the money, it’s time to arrange Lin Qing’s marriage. My second grandson has been slow in finding a match; as his mother, you should reflect on this.”

Li Yan smiled wryly, “Tomorrow, I’ll go find matchmaker Zhang. I’ll definitely pick out the best candidates for Qingzi.”

Upon hearing there were benefits for himself, Lin Qing, who had nearly let go of a prey within reach, quickly showered Old Man Lin with compliments, managing to coax him back into a cheerful disposition.

All members of the family harbored their own schemes, none willing to yield to the other at the table.

---

Today, too much happened, and Gu Qiming couldn’t bear to let Lin Xing continue to toil. With the young man’s eyes swollen from crying, he coaxed him into the house to rest.

He cleaned up the yard by himself, then took half a jin of malt sugar, before finally heading towards Auntie Zhang’s house.

On the road, he encountered another household. There were only a few families in the west, and Gu Qiming recognized her. This woman, named Wang Zhi, was usually eccentric and didn’t talk much to others.

It was said that, years ago, because they despised their daughter-in-law for being barren, and failing to bear a child after two years of marriage, the parents secretly sold her off without telling their son. As a result, their son had a huge argument with them and left Lin Village, never to be heard from again.

Gu Qiming was unwilling to interact with this family. Without offering a greeting, he directly walked to Auntie Zhang’s doorstep and knocked on the door.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Gu, from Lin Xing’s family.”

“Ah, if it isn’t Xiao Gu! Come in and have a seat. Mother has gone to herd the ducks and should be back any moment now.” Upon spotting Gu Qiming, Auntie Lin Zhang’s eldest daughter-in-law quickly wiped her hands on her apron before hurriedly inviting him inside.

Gu Qiming noticed that at the moment, only Lin Fu and his sister-in-law were at home. The eldest sister-in-law had just been busy cooking in the kitchen, while Lin Fu was sitting in the courtyard playing by himself.

Seeing him coming, he didn’t even come over to say hello. Gu Qiming, who usually doesn’t smile, can be somewhat intimidating, and Lin Fu has always been a bit afraid of him.

“I brought some candy from home, hoping to exchange them with my sister-in-law for a couple of eggs. Please don’t look down upon it, elder sister-in-law.”

A few days ago, Lin Xing and Gu Qiming started raising several pairs of chicks. Since the price of eggs in town is high, Lin Xing is reluctant to spend money to buy them. Occasionally, he has exchanged items for eggs in town a couple of times, but now, they ran out at home. It will be a while before the chicks are grown enough to lay eggs.

“Why did you bring over such expensive items? Eggs are cheap, but this sugar must weigh over half a jin.”

Lin DaSao * lifted the bag of sweets that Gu Qiming brought, gauging that it was no small amount.

[* 大嫂 dà sǎo older brother’s wife / sister-in-law / elder sister (respectful appellation for an older married woman) I either use the pinyin, or you have to read elder daugther in law over and over and over and over]

These days, Xiao Gu and Xiao Lin have been coming over for meals quite often, and the two families have become familiar with each other. She has also gotten to know a bit about Gu Qiming’s character and realized that once he offers something, he wouldn’t take it back, so she accepted it.

“Just wait, I’ll go get you some eggs right now.”

Gu Qiming was in a hurry to get back and didn’t linger for long. By the time he arrived home with a basket of eggs, Lin Xing was still asleep. Lin DaSao had given him quite a few eggs, about a dozen or so. He originally thought it was too many and planned to take just a couple and leave. However, as fate would have it, he ran into Auntie Zhang herding ducks back home. She unceremoniously stuffed the basket into his arms and shooed him away without a word.

Gu Qiming picked two cucumbers from the garden, and also simmered half a pot of millet porridge. He planned to make a dish of sautéed cucumber with eggs.

His cooking skills were far from perfect. Juggling between tending the fire and preparing the meal, he was all over the place, nearly burning the food in the process. Fortunately, he managed to get the meal ready in the end. After serving the rice, he finally went inside to wake Lin Xing up.

This was Gu Qiming’s first time entering Lin Xing’s room. Out of fear of offending him, he had never set foot in here before.

The room was sparsely furnished, featuring only a bed, a wardrobe, and a table. The table held numerous wooden knick-knacks, leaving one to wonder if he had crafted them himself.

The window remained open, allowing the lingering light of the sunset to pour in, casting an air of ambiguity between breaths. In that moment, Gu Qiming even felt as though they had been living like this for a long time.

He tiptoed to the bedside and gazed at the person for a good while before finally speaking, “Xingxing, it’s time to get up and eat.” 
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