Chapter 28
(T/N: Sponsored chapter by Male equivalent of a dog fart (the name still cracks me up every time))
Once he finished dinner, Zhao Ziheng went to look for Bai Shiqi.
She had been soaking until her whole body turned red, her soles and palms wrinkled, and the two eyes gleaming with tears, with her hair scattered behind her. Zhao Ziheng saw it at a glance and said bluntly: “Shiqi, this appearance of yours is truly…” Truly feminine.
The latter words were held back, he was afraid that Bai Shiqi would chase and beat him up.
He used to think that both of them were rascals who did not have proper duties, however, this trip made him realize that the gap between the two was too large, so he did not want to challenge her bottom line.
Bai Shiqi gathered her hair and made a pose: “Truly handsome, right?”
But still, Zhao Ziheng could not restrain his lowly tongue: “Shiqi, overconfidence is a kind of disease, it must be treated!” It was exchanged immediately with Bai Shiqi’s flying kick.
Bai Shiqi tied her hair carelessly. With water still dripping from it, she pulled Zhao Ziheng out.
Zhao Ziheng was dragged with a trot and he kept questioning: “Shiqi, what’s the hurry? Where are you taking me?”
Unexpectedly, they bumped into Shu Changfeng who was pushing Zhao Wujiu out for a breath of fresh air right at the corner… Looking at the direction they were heading, it seemed to be Bai Shiqi’s room.
Bai Shiqi was indeed a person who held grudges. Because of Zhao Wujiu’s avoidance of her in disgust, she returned to her room and repeatedly sniffed her body, then she bathed until a layer of skin nearly fall off. Seeing Zhao Wujiu again, she was not as friendly as she used to be.
Zhao Wujiu noticed that the two of them ran over while holding hands, his gaze swept across Bai Shiqi’s face. In headache, he discovered that—she really did not have any awareness of being a woman.
He adopted the look of a stepmother, his attitude strict: “Where are you two going? You two are not young anymore, why are you still so sloppy?”
Zhao Ziheng shrank his shoulders and showed the initiative to advice: “Cousin Brother, are you out to aid digestion ah?”
Bai Shiqi’s attitude was perfunctory: “Then Cousin Brother can slowly digest, I have things to do with Ziheng.” She dragged Zhao Ziheng’s hand, went past him, and continued to move forward.
Shu Changfeng really wanted to block her way and complain: Young Leader Bai, Master is worried if you’re ill, so he especially comes to see you!
However Bai Shiqi walked pretty fast, and Shu Changfeng did not dare to blab, while Zhao Wujiu was not the type of person who likes to give explanations. So, he could only stare blankly at the two people who left hand in hand.
***
Bai Shiqi dragged Zhao Ziheng all the way to the lower deck. Along the way, she met the guys on the ship. They all greeted her with smiles, but she dispatched everyone: “Everyone can go back, I’m going to play downstairs.”
Aside from the cargo hold, the bottom compartment was damp and dark, what was there to play with?
However, the young leader always had many playable tricks and nobody had stopped her. After receiving the news, the steersman rushed over and personally opened the brass lock in the lower deck: “What is Young Leader looking for?”
Bai Shiqi urged him: “Find two people to keep watch here, nobody can come in. I’m going to play inside.”
Zhao Ziheng was dragged into the bottom compartment. There was a damp, musty smell at the end of his nose. He pinched his nose and wanted to leave: “What is this smell ah?”
Bai Shiqi immediately covered his mouth: “Ssh—don’t talk!”
Zhao Ziheng nodded repeatedly to express that he had heard her, so once he was released, he learned from the experience and lowered his voice to ask: “What are you going to do by running here?”
Bai Shiqi said as if everything was the way it should be: “Catching mice ah!”
Zhao Ziheng’s voice trembled: “M-Mice…” Cousin Brother, save me! I accidentally got on this pirate ship1 of Bai Shiqi!
Bai Shiqi lightened her footsteps and quietly moved in, while Zhao Ziheng was frightened and still in doubt. Taking advantage of her walking forward stealthily, he quietly retreated, but was quickly dragged back by her: “Why are you running away?”
This time around, Zhao Ziheng did not pretend anymore, he scowled in misery and wanted to beg forgiveness: “Brother, those are mice, the thing I’m most afraid of in this lifetime. If you want to catch them, then go by yourself, don’t drag me along, okay?”
Bai Shiqi looked at him foolishly: “You’re afraid of mice?”
Zhao Ziheng nodded his head frantically, making Bai Shiqi suspected if his neck was machine-operated, it was particularly rhythmic.
“Then, do you think… Cousin Brother is also afraid of mice?”
“He should be?” That plaything was so evil and disgusting, squeaking everywhere and liked to bite.
Zhao Ziheng glanced at her vigilantly: “What are you going to do?”
Bai Shiqi smiled and spoke politely: “Not gonna do anything.”
Zhao Ziheng definitely did not believe her nonsense. If one did not want to do anything, then why would one run to the bottom compartment to catch mice? Was there something wrong with having idle time?!
However, at present, he did not want to know what Bai Shiqi was going to do, he only wanted to leave as soon as possible.
“Shiqi ah,” he swallowed: “Can I… Can I leave now?”
Originally, Bai Shiqi did not plan to ask him to help. How could such a squeamish son of rich people do this kind of job?
So, after a while, she pardoned him: “You go to the door and keep watch.”
After 30 minutes, Bai Shiqi came out of the compartment with a bulging cloth bag. Borrowing the dusk light, Zhao Ziheng vaguely saw that the cloth bag was constantly wiggling. With a deathly pale complexion, he drew back: “Shiqi, you…”
Bai Shiqi seemed dissatisfied with the result of the fight this time around: “I’ve searched for such a long time and only got 5 of them, it’s a bit too few.”
Zhao Ziheng wanted to run, but was blocked by her with the cloth bag: “Don’t run ah Ziheng, I still need to ask you for something.”
Don’t say one thing, even 10 things he would agree with!
Nowadays, Zhao Ziheng felt that when he first met Bai Shiqi, the beatings he had suffered from that time could be considered gentle. Had she caught a pile of mice at that time, he might have been frightened to death.
He squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying: “Between us brothers why the need to be so courteous? You say it, even 100 things I’d do it for you!”
Bai Shiqi showed a perfect smile: “Go to Cousin Brother’s door and use whatever means to keep Shu Changfeng away!”
Now Zhao Zifeng felt that this mission was pretty difficult ah.
Keeping Shu Changfeng away was not difficult, but when Cousin Brother became aware that the two of them had collaborated to do bad things, would not he peel off a layer of his skin ah?
“Are you going to do it or not ah?”
Bai Shiqi swayed the little evil cloth bag in front of his face, Zhao Ziheng did not hesitate any longer: “I’ll go right away!”
***
Zhao Wujiu was leaning on the wheelchair, holding a book while looking lost in thought. His mind was filled with Bai Shiqi’s pair of misty eyes, her peach-like face, and also her hand that was pulling Zhao Ziheng away.
When he had not been aware that she was a woman before, he could still maintain his calm. At most, he only felt that this vexing, obstreperous youngster was ruined beyond recognition, letting people wanted to guide her into the correct path.
However, the vexing youngster had turned into a vexing young lady now. Knowing this, he felt somewhat complicated.
He had practiced martial arts all year-round, and his five senses were more sensitive than ordinary people. Even in a daze, he could still hear the low voices at the door. He quickly distinguished the voices of Zhao Ziheng and Shu Changfeng, then, he also heard the sound of footsteps from far away. He did not know what kind of terrible idea this youngster Zhao Ziheng had come up with.
After a short period of time, he finally heard the very light sound of footsteps reaching the door of the cabin. He leaned on his back and pretended to be asleep, buckled the book to his chest, and squinted his eyes, wanting to look— From the door, half of a head appeared stealthily and quickly scanned through the cabin. Finding that he was fast asleep, the owner of the head was overjoyed and withdrew their head back.
Zhao Wujiu: What does this vexing kid want to do?
A wrinkled hand lifted a lively, healthy, and active mouse, and quietly put it into the cabin, followed by the second, third, fourth, and fifth mouse.
The five mice had been living in the dark and damp compartment, it was not suitable for them to be placed suddenly in a bright environment. They opened their mung bean-sized eyes and observed around. Instinct urged them to go straight to the darker place to hide.
Zhao Wujiu even heard the extremely low smirk of Bai Shiqi at the door, and from the narrow slit of his eyes, saw a half of her head stealthily looking inside for the excitement, with her still wet hair. He sighed helplessly. He opened his eyes, grabbed five walnuts from the fruit plate on the table, and threw it out. Five mice died in response!
Bai Shiqi: “… …”
Bai Shiqi was dumbstruck!
—Wasn’t the good Cousin Brother afraid of mice?
Should he not shout and wail in fright?!
—Wasn’t the good Cousin Brother a public servant?
Whose family’s public servant could use dried fruits like some hidden weapons?!
She stared foolishly at the five dead mice on the floor of the cabin, as well as the five walnuts that had not been broken and still spinning around and around, even though they had already succeeded in ruining the mice. In astonishment, she forgot to withdrew her head.
Zhao Wujiu’s face was stern, like the dropping face of the dean from the school when she had broken the glass in her previous life, and he said in a cold voice: “Come in—”
She still remembered her trembling calves, as well as her frightened heart that kept slamming restlessly against her chest. She had been mischievous for so many years and finally sensed a problem for the first time.
—No matter how fierce her family’s Leader Bai was, there was also a bottom line.
In that split second, Bai Shiqi thought that the only way was to just beat it. It was a pity. The moment she took a step back, Zhao Wujiu held two more walnuts in his hand and said in a threatening voice: “You dare to run!”
The five mice on the ground died miserably. Their brains were all smashed out.
Bai Shiqi felt cold on the back of her head, she lifted her toes and rubbed them in. Squeezing a reluctant smile: “Cousin Brother—”
Zhao Wujiu: “Come here.”
Bai Shiqi stared at the walnuts in his hand that were comparable to hidden weapons. She wished that she could walk the few steps as long as walking a few kilometers, however, the cabin was not big, no matter how slowly she walked, she still quickly arrived before Zhao Wujiu.
Zhao Wujiu’s face was chilling, and he said as if giving orders: “Turn over and sit down.”
Bai Shiqi’s thought: Don’t tell me he’s telling me to turn around so he can smash my head at once?
The stress level from being mischievous all year round made Bai Shiqi habitually admit her mistake: “Cousin Brother, I was wrong! I won’t dare any more next time!”
Zhao Wujiu nearly broke, he repeated his words again with a straight face: “Turn over and sit down!”
Bai Shiqi turned over and sat by his feet in a daze, followed by her hair being untied, her head covered with a kerchief, and the feeling of moving fingers on her head. She was dumbfounded: Zhao Wujiu was helping her wiping her hair?!
Wasn’t he… really angry?
While wiping her hair, Zhao Wujiu started to admonish as well: “You have not been following good examples since you were young and spend your days racking your brain to make mischiefs. Have you not been beaten enough with the rod by your father? Do you want to get beaten more? Should I let Changfeng bring your father over?”
Bai Shiqi closed her eyes with a headache—Here it comes again!
This person must be Elder Tang2’s disciple, right?
Zhao Wujiu was still nagging: “You’re a…” He nearly uttered the word “lady”, but swallowed it raw: “Don’t rely on your youth. In the future, you can get headaches from running around with wet hair. Only when you roll about on the bed while holding that head you’ll remember to regret…”
Bai Shiqi: “… …”
Ziheng, save me ah!
Bai Shiqi: Dad, I was wrong. I won’t dare any more next time!
Bai Shiqi: Cousin Brother, I was wrong. I won’t dare any more next time!
Cousin Brother: Can you bring something fresh when admitting your mistakes?!
FOOTNOTE
1 Pirate ship: figuratively a venture of dubious merit
2 Elder Tang: is a very gentle and rigid character in a folk story, who embarked on the road of knowledge. You can read it here. https://www.douban.com/note/711845413/
Chapter 28
(T/N: Sponsored chapter by Male equivalent of a dog fart (the name still cracks me up every time))
Once he finished dinner, Zhao Ziheng went to look for Bai Shiqi.
She had been soaking until her whole body turned red, her soles and palms wrinkled, and the two eyes gleaming with tears, with her hair scattered behind her. Zhao Ziheng saw it at a glance and said bluntly: “Shiqi, this appearance of yours is truly…” Truly feminine.
The latter words were held back, he was afraid that Bai Shiqi would chase and beat him up.
He used to think that both of them were rascals who did not have proper duties, however, this trip made him realize that the gap between the two was too large, so he did not want to challenge her bottom line.
Bai Shiqi gathered her hair and made a pose: “Truly handsome, right?”
But still, Zhao Ziheng could not restrain his lowly tongue: “Shiqi, overconfidence is a kind of disease, it must be treated!” It was exchanged immediately with Bai Shiqi’s flying kick.
Bai Shiqi tied her hair carelessly. With water still dripping from it, she pulled Zhao Ziheng out.
Zhao Ziheng was dragged with a trot and he kept questioning: “Shiqi, what’s the hurry? Where are you taking me?”
Unexpectedly, they bumped into Shu Changfeng who was pushing Zhao Wujiu out for a breath of fresh air right at the corner… Looking at the direction they were heading, it seemed to be Bai Shiqi’s room.
Bai Shiqi was indeed a person who held grudges. Because of Zhao Wujiu’s avoidance of her in disgust, she returned to her room and repeatedly sniffed her body, then she bathed until a layer of skin nearly fall off. Seeing Zhao Wujiu again, she was not as friendly as she used to be.
Zhao Wujiu noticed that the two of them ran over while holding hands, his gaze swept across Bai Shiqi’s face. In headache, he discovered that—she really did not have any awareness of being a woman.
He adopted the look of a stepmother, his attitude strict: “Where are you two going? You two are not young anymore, why are you still so sloppy?”
Zhao Ziheng shrank his shoulders and showed the initiative to advice: “Cousin Brother, are you out to aid digestion ah?”
Bai Shiqi’s attitude was perfunctory: “Then Cousin Brother can slowly digest, I have things to do with Ziheng.” She dragged Zhao Ziheng’s hand, went past him, and continued to move forward.
Shu Changfeng really wanted to block her way and complain: Young Leader Bai, Master is worried if you’re ill, so he especially comes to see you!
However Bai Shiqi walked pretty fast, and Shu Changfeng did not dare to blab, while Zhao Wujiu was not the type of person who likes to give explanations. So, he could only stare blankly at the two people who left hand in hand.
***
Bai Shiqi dragged Zhao Ziheng all the way to the lower deck. Along the way, she met the guys on the ship. They all greeted her with smiles, but she dispatched everyone: “Everyone can go back, I’m going to play downstairs.”
Aside from the cargo hold, the bottom compartment was damp and dark, what was there to play with?
However, the young leader always had many playable tricks and nobody had stopped her. After receiving the news, the steersman rushed over and personally opened the brass lock in the lower deck: “What is Young Leader looking for?”
Bai Shiqi urged him: “Find two people to keep watch here, nobody can come in. I’m going to play inside.”
Zhao Ziheng was dragged into the bottom compartment. There was a damp, musty smell at the end of his nose. He pinched his nose and wanted to leave: “What is this smell ah?”
Bai Shiqi immediately covered his mouth: “Ssh—don’t talk!”
Zhao Ziheng nodded repeatedly to express that he had heard her, so once he was released, he learned from the experience and lowered his voice to ask: “What are you going to do by running here?”
Bai Shiqi said as if everything was the way it should be: “Catching mice ah!”
Zhao Ziheng’s voice trembled: “M-Mice…” Cousin Brother, save me! I accidentally got on this pirate ship1 of Bai Shiqi!
Bai Shiqi lightened her footsteps and quietly moved in, while Zhao Ziheng was frightened and still in doubt. Taking advantage of her walking forward stealthily, he quietly retreated, but was quickly dragged back by her: “Why are you running away?”
This time around, Zhao Ziheng did not pretend anymore, he scowled in misery and wanted to beg forgiveness: “Brother, those are mice, the thing I’m most afraid of in this lifetime. If you want to catch them, then go by yourself, don’t drag me along, okay?”
Bai Shiqi looked at him foolishly: “You’re afraid of mice?”
Zhao Ziheng nodded his head frantically, making Bai Shiqi suspected if his neck was machine-operated, it was particularly rhythmic.
“Then, do you think… Cousin Brother is also afraid of mice?”
“He should be?” That plaything was so evil and disgusting, squeaking everywhere and liked to bite.
Zhao Ziheng glanced at her vigilantly: “What are you going to do?”
Bai Shiqi smiled and spoke politely: “Not gonna do anything.”
Zhao Ziheng definitely did not believe her nonsense. If one did not want to do anything, then why would one run to the bottom compartment to catch mice? Was there something wrong with having idle time?!
However, at present, he did not want to know what Bai Shiqi was going to do, he only wanted to leave as soon as possible.
“Shiqi ah,” he swallowed: “Can I… Can I leave now?”
Originally, Bai Shiqi did not plan to ask him to help. How could such a squeamish son of rich people do this kind of job?
So, after a while, she pardoned him: “You go to the door and keep watch.”
After 30 minutes, Bai Shiqi came out of the compartment with a bulging cloth bag. Borrowing the dusk light, Zhao Ziheng vaguely saw that the cloth bag was constantly wiggling. With a deathly pale complexion, he drew back: “Shiqi, you…”
Bai Shiqi seemed dissatisfied with the result of the fight this time around: “I’ve searched for such a long time and only got 5 of them, it’s a bit too few.”
Zhao Ziheng wanted to run, but was blocked by her with the cloth bag: “Don’t run ah Ziheng, I still need to ask you for something.”
Don’t say one thing, even 10 things he would agree with!
Nowadays, Zhao Ziheng felt that when he first met Bai Shiqi, the beatings he had suffered from that time could be considered gentle. Had she caught a pile of mice at that time, he might have been frightened to death.
He squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying: “Between us brothers why the need to be so courteous? You say it, even 100 things I’d do it for you!”
Bai Shiqi showed a perfect smile: “Go to Cousin Brother’s door and use whatever means to keep Shu Changfeng away!”
Now Zhao Zifeng felt that this mission was pretty difficult ah.
Keeping Shu Changfeng away was not difficult, but when Cousin Brother became aware that the two of them had collaborated to do bad things, would not he peel off a layer of his skin ah?
“Are you going to do it or not ah?”
Bai Shiqi swayed the little evil cloth bag in front of his face, Zhao Ziheng did not hesitate any longer: “I’ll go right away!”
***
Zhao Wujiu was leaning on the wheelchair, holding a book while looking lost in thought. His mind was filled with Bai Shiqi’s pair of misty eyes, her peach-like face, and also her hand that was pulling Zhao Ziheng away.
When he had not been aware that she was a woman before, he could still maintain his calm. At most, he only felt that this vexing, obstreperous youngster was ruined beyond recognition, letting people wanted to guide her into the correct path.
However, the vexing youngster had turned into a vexing young lady now. Knowing this, he felt somewhat complicated.
He had practiced martial arts all year-round, and his five senses were more sensitive than ordinary people. Even in a daze, he could still hear the low voices at the door. He quickly distinguished the voices of Zhao Ziheng and Shu Changfeng, then, he also heard the sound of footsteps from far away. He did not know what kind of terrible idea this youngster Zhao Ziheng had come up with.
After a short period of time, he finally heard the very light sound of footsteps reaching the door of the cabin. He leaned on his back and pretended to be asleep, buckled the book to his chest, and squinted his eyes, wanting to look— From the door, half of a head appeared stealthily and quickly scanned through the cabin. Finding that he was fast asleep, the owner of the head was overjoyed and withdrew their head back.
Zhao Wujiu: What does this vexing kid want to do?
A wrinkled hand lifted a lively, healthy, and active mouse, and quietly put it into the cabin, followed by the second, third, fourth, and fifth mouse.
The five mice had been living in the dark and damp compartment, it was not suitable for them to be placed suddenly in a bright environment. They opened their mung bean-sized eyes and observed around. Instinct urged them to go straight to the darker place to hide.
Zhao Wujiu even heard the extremely low smirk of Bai Shiqi at the door, and from the narrow slit of his eyes, saw a half of her head stealthily looking inside for the excitement, with her still wet hair. He sighed helplessly. He opened his eyes, grabbed five walnuts from the fruit plate on the table, and threw it out. Five mice died in response!
Bai Shiqi: “… …”
Bai Shiqi was dumbstruck!
—Wasn’t the good Cousin Brother afraid of mice?
Should he not shout and wail in fright?!
—Wasn’t the good Cousin Brother a public servant?
Whose family’s public servant could use dried fruits like some hidden weapons?!
She stared foolishly at the five dead mice on the floor of the cabin, as well as the five walnuts that had not been broken and still spinning around and around, even though they had already succeeded in ruining the mice. In astonishment, she forgot to withdrew her head.
Zhao Wujiu’s face was stern, like the dropping face of the dean from the school when she had broken the glass in her previous life, and he said in a cold voice: “Come in—”
She still remembered her trembling calves, as well as her frightened heart that kept slamming restlessly against her chest. She had been mischievous for so many years and finally sensed a problem for the first time.
—No matter how fierce her family’s Leader Bai was, there was also a bottom line.
In that split second, Bai Shiqi thought that the only way was to just beat it. It was a pity. The moment she took a step back, Zhao Wujiu held two more walnuts in his hand and said in a threatening voice: “You dare to run!”
The five mice on the ground died miserably. Their brains were all smashed out.
Bai Shiqi felt cold on the back of her head, she lifted her toes and rubbed them in. Squeezing a reluctant smile: “Cousin Brother—”
Zhao Wujiu: “Come here.”
Bai Shiqi stared at the walnuts in his hand that were comparable to hidden weapons. She wished that she could walk the few steps as long as walking a few kilometers, however, the cabin was not big, no matter how slowly she walked, she still quickly arrived before Zhao Wujiu.
Zhao Wujiu’s face was chilling, and he said as if giving orders: “Turn over and sit down.”
Bai Shiqi’s thought: Don’t tell me he’s telling me to turn around so he can smash my head at once?
The stress level from being mischievous all year round made Bai Shiqi habitually admit her mistake: “Cousin Brother, I was wrong! I won’t dare any more next time!”
Zhao Wujiu nearly broke, he repeated his words again with a straight face: “Turn over and sit down!”
Bai Shiqi turned over and sat by his feet in a daze, followed by her hair being untied, her head covered with a kerchief, and the feeling of moving fingers on her head. She was dumbfounded: Zhao Wujiu was helping her wiping her hair?!
Wasn’t he… really angry?
While wiping her hair, Zhao Wujiu started to admonish as well: “You have not been following good examples since you were young and spend your days racking your brain to make mischiefs. Have you not been beaten enough with the rod by your father? Do you want to get beaten more? Should I let Changfeng bring your father over?”
Bai Shiqi closed her eyes with a headache—Here it comes again!
This person must be Elder Tang2’s disciple, right?
Zhao Wujiu was still nagging: “You’re a…” He nearly uttered the word “lady”, but swallowed it raw: “Don’t rely on your youth. In the future, you can get headaches from running around with wet hair. Only when you roll about on the bed while holding that head you’ll remember to regret…”
Bai Shiqi: “… …”
Ziheng, save me ah!
Bai Shiqi: Dad, I was wrong. I won’t dare any more next time!
Bai Shiqi: Cousin Brother, I was wrong. I won’t dare any more next time!
Cousin Brother: Can you bring something fresh when admitting your mistakes?!
FOOTNOTE
1 Pirate ship: figuratively a venture of dubious merit
2 Elder Tang: is a very gentle and rigid character in a folk story, who embarked on the road of knowledge. You can read it here. https://www.douban.com/note/711845413/
