CH 19.2

Chapter 19: Bump into Each Other (2) Original translation is from tenderflower's blog.

When he stepped into the hall, he saw Shu Lan leaning beside the old madam of the Qin family, murmuring. He didn’t know what she was talking about. When she saw him, she was about to run over but was held back by the old madam.

Zhu Yuanbao hurriedly walked a few steps, bowed to the old madam, and said: “Old madam, it’s all Yuanbao who is naughty, and Ah Lan was naughty to help me, don’t blame her.”

The old madam smiled as she measured the fat boy in front of her. His clothes were dusty. At first glance, he had fallen, and even his hat was tilted, but he pretended to greet her in a serious manner. However, in the end, he still knew how to plead for her granddaughter which showed that his heart was not bad.

As neighbors, they knew each other a little. The old madam didn’t ask why he was tied up in the backyard. She let him get up with a smile and ordered the maids to prepare some fruit pastries.

Zhu Yuanbao watched the servant girls go out in surprise. He didn’t understand why the old madam didn’t scold or beat him but was so kind to him.

Just as he was wondering, he heard the old madam say: “Yuanbao, this is my little granddaughter. She has been lazy since she was little. Except for eating and sleeping, she is not willing to take another step. It’s rare for her to take a liking to you and would rather not go to sleep than play with you. In the future, I’ll trouble you to take care of her and take her out for a walk if you have nothing to do.”

If it was the daughter of an ordinary family when she was 10 years old, she already knew how to keep a distance from boys, but the old madam knew that her little granddaughter was a thorough child. Even if she grew taller, her appearance began to grow, but her mind was still the same as when she was 5 or 6 years old. Regarding the future of this girl, her mother was worried, why was she not worried as a grandmother? The age of about 10 years old was not too old and just let her go out to play whenever she liked. Maybe she could change her temperament, otherwise, if she wanted to go out in another 2 or 3 years, the adults would not let her.

Was this girl lazy? Zhu Yuanbao didn’t believe it very much. Seeing her climb up and down, how could a lazy person be so flexible?

However, the old madam would never let him take Shul Lan out to play for no reason, right?

That was, eating people’s soft hands and taking short-handed were regarded as coaxing the children of the Qin family. Zhu Yuanbao nodded righteously and agreed.

After eating and washing their faces, Zhu Yuanbao took Shu Lan out, followed by two maids, who were not far behind for fear that she would be lost or bullied.

“Brother Yuanbao, where are we going to play?” Not far from the door, Shu Lan felt a little sleepy and yawned. She was worried he was hungry before, but now that they were all out, what should she play with him? Although he seemed to understand everything, even if he kept talking, he was not as boring as her third cousin.

Zhu Yuanbao thought about it for a while and said confidently: “Let’s go, I’ll take you to eat something good!” Did she not know how to eat besides sleep? Then let her eat enough!

In this way, Zhu Yuanbao took Shu Lan to visit all the good places he could think of and finally took her to his father’s butcher shop.

“Look, that’s our family’s shop. The business is very good! When I’m a few years older, the shop will be mine. If you come to buy meat then, I’ll give you a cheaper price!” Zhu Yuanbao pointed to the butcher shop diagonally opposite and said proudly.

Shu Lan stretched out her neck and looked over there. She saw Zhu Laicai standing behind the chopping board with a white coat tied around his neck, shouting non-stop. Whenever someone came to buy meat, he would praise the other party first, which made the old wives and daughters-in-law tremble with laughter. They obviously only wanted to buy 5 liang of meat, but when they were happy, they took a catty away.

(T/N: (两) liang: two / both / some / a few / tael, unit of weight equal to 50 grams (modern) or 1⁄16 of a catty 斤 (old))

Would Brother Yuanbao become like his father in the future?

Shu Lan tried to replace the big fat man on the opposite side with a little fat man and as she went to buy meat by herself, it was funny no matter how she thought.

“Brother Yuanbao, let’s go and have a look? You can tell me, what is pork belly?” Shu Lan said expectantly. She had heard of several kinds of meat just now, like ribs, and pork kidneys. Weren’t they all pork?

“Why don’t you know anything?” Zhu Yuanbao pouted his lips contemptuously, “Let’s go, remember it later!” Anyway, he was ordered by the old madam of the Qin family to help coax the child. Even if his father was angry, he would not beat him in front of the Qin family’s servants. Zhu Yuanbao walked out recklessly, shaking his head, indescribably arrogant.

Shu Lan followed him curiously. Followed his example, and took two steps, her little head swayed. Once it was unstable, she tilted forward to the left.

The setting sun dragged the shadow long. They walked eastward. Zhu Yuanbao knew what she was doing just by looking at Shu Lan’s shadow. Seeing that she was going to fall, he turned around to help her. Fortunately, the action was timely enough and Shu Lan happened to pounce on his round and elastic belly.

“See if you still want to copy me!” Zhu Yuanbao held Shu Lan’s shoulders and said angrily. When he saw her standing firm, he wanted to withdraw his hands.

But at this moment, a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder. As Zhu Yuanbao was about to look back, a strong force threw him out. When he reacted, he had fallen to the ground and his right wrist was burning with pain. At first glance, he was bleeding!

“Who dares to hit me without eyes?” Zhu Yuanbao jumped up. His big eyes widened as he said angrily.

Xiao Lang glanced at him indifferently. Holding two half-dead pheasants in one hand and holding on to the struggling Shu Lan in the other, lowering his head and asking her: “Who is he? Why are you with him?”