CH 18.2

Chapter 18: The Little Fatty Next Door (1) Original translation is from tenderflower's blog.

Qin Ruhai had learned the way of doing business since he was a child, and had nothing to do with farm crops, but he yearned for the joy of the countryside. Apart from a Zhuangzi in the south of the town to relieve summer heat, he also used his spacious backyard to grow fruits and vegetables.

Shu Lan was led by the maid Chun Xing and reluctantly came to the backyard, but when she saw the scene in the backyard, most of her sleepiness magically disappeared.

The backyard of her grandfather’s house was about an acre of land. On the right side was a row of green grape racks. Now that the Dragon Boat Festival had passed, the grapevines were hung with a bunch of green grapes the size of a peanut. It was crystal clear and it was really gratifying. Just one glance could make anyone’s mouth sour. A row of cherry trees was planted at the root of the wall next to it, only as high as the top of the wall, with red cherries hidden among the dark green leaves.

“Sister Chun Xing, I want to eat cherries!” Shu Lan raised her head and said sweetly. Her big eyes were full of cravings.

Facing such a pink carved jade young lady, Chun Xing’s tone subconsciously softened by 30 points more than usual. She pointed to the two straight poplar trees in the west and said: “Okay, Miss, go over there and sit on the swing first, this servant will pick cherries for you.”

Shu Lan nodded, bypassed the two low-rise vegetables, and trotted to the swing that her second cousin had especially tied for her.

In the middle of the swing was a wooden board about two feet long and a palm wide, a soft brocade pad was tied to it and strong hemp ropes were tied at both ends. The other end of the hemp ropes was tightly tied to two arms-thick branches to ensure that it would not fall off. Shu Lan also had a swing at home, but it was tied to an iron frame that her father had specially bought, unlike the two poplar trees that fit her liking.

With her little buttocks pointed at the brocade pad, Shu Lan lazily wrapped her arms around the hemp ropes on both sides and her toes swayed gently. From a distance, she looked at the pink and blue figure of Chun Xing hidden behind the vines. It was suddenly far away and then suddenly near as she swung. The early morning sun slanted across the wall. When she swayed to the east, the sun would come on her face. When she swayed back, the person was hidden in the shadow of the tree with an indescribable sense of tranquility.

“Father, let me go, let me go!”

In the silence, a vigorous male voice suddenly came from the yard next door.

Shu Lan’s ears moved. She stretched out her foot and stopped the swing, tilting her head to listen to the movement over there.

“You little brat, you don’t read books well, but hide in the pigsty and want to kill pigs? You want to learn from your father, you are still too unskilled!” Zhu Laicai stretched out his hand and slapped his son’s buttocks twice, and pushed the person against the tree trunk. The fat but dexterous hands tied the person firmly in three or two, and then took three steps back. Staring with two big eyes that were full of fat but could not hide their sharp edges, and said with a flushing face: “Since you don’t want to read, then don’t even think about going anywhere, obediently think about it behind closed doors for me, and don’t eat lunch!” He turned his head and left.

Zhu Yuanbao twisted his plump body. Knowing his father tied him tightly, he roared unwillingly: “Father, even if I read books it’s useless, anyway, the butcher shop is mine when you die. The son inherits the father’s business. Rather than wasting time studying, why don’t I learn to slaughter pigs and cut meat with you sooner!”

“Pah, I have a long life. You don’t need to worry about my butcher’s shop. If you don’t want to read books, just stay here. When you are obedient, I will let you go!” His whole body was shaking. He almost couldn’t help giving him another shoe sole. He finally suppressed the anger in his heart, waved his fist threateningly, and took heavy steps to the front yard.

Zhu Yuanbao gritted his teeth and looked at the fat and sturdy figure of his father. He gave him a fierce “pah” and regretted it a little bit. If he had known earlier that his father would still take another look at the fat pigs before he left, he would hide in another place.

There was a heavy sound of locks coming from the front yard, Zhu Yuanbao was completely lost, and looked up at the blue sky.

Shu Lan had never seen father and son quarrel.

Her father had a mild temper. No matter how naughty her older brother was in the past, he always reasoned with him in a pleasant manner. On the contrary, her mother was often so angry she hit her older brother with a broom. As for the evil wolf, he was praised by the two adults for being sensible since he was a child. Shu Lan really couldn’t remember when he made the adults angry.

The boy next door dared to talk to his father. He was really daring. She wondered what he looked like?

Shu Lan was very curious. Since there had been no movement for so long, she wanted to know what punishment the boy received. She saw Chun Xing holding a handkerchief and went to wash the cherries in front of her. Shu Lan gently left the swing and climbed up the tree neatly with her hands and feet until she saw the situation in the yard clearly next door, she stopped.

There was a persimmon tree in the yard over there. From Shu Lan's view, she saw a young man in a gray silk round neck robe tied to a tree trunk. He was wearing a silver-gray high hat on his head. His side face was round and white, and the two layers of flesh on the chin were very obvious.

Seemingly sensing that someone was peeping, Zhu Yuanbao suddenly opened his eyes and turned his head to look in the direction of the wall.

Seeing this, he was startled.

It turned out there was no one on the wall, but there was a little girl on the poplar tree of the Qin family. Her two lotus root-like arms were tightly wrapped around the tree trunk, and even the trouser legs of the foundation embroidered were shrunk up, revealing a thin white calf. Looking at the little girl again, her whole body was behind the tree, only half of her head was exposed, and a pair of round and large almond eyes looked at him curiously.

Original translation is from willkissonyou, tenderflower. If you're not reading from tenderflower then it'd been stolen and posted without the consent of tenderflower.