Chapter 19: CH 19

Chapter 19: Shoes

Tao Xinhe smiled, and tapped the brand-new pair of men’s handmade shoes with her tender index finger:

“Shoes? Did you ask her to measure your feet?”

Just as Gu Ningxi put down the New Year’s greeting post written by Mo Qi, he also felt baffled:

“How could it be? Qiniang and I haven’t spoken a few words, so how can we go beyond the rules and show off our shoes and socks.”

“Liu Guang, serve me a cup of tea, let me wake up and think about it.” Tao Xinhe snorted and ordered. She was trying not to look at the purple, yellow, and black female apparels that Mo Qiqi sent on the table.

“I don’t lack a scarf and handkerchiefs”, she got up from the table, then turned and left.

Gu Ningxi secretly grumbled. He didn’t know why the annual gift sent by his righteous sister Mo Qiqi was out of proportion. However, could he even argue with a little girl? He waved to the boy who was poking around the door with a sullen expression:

“Shihua, come and take these to the warehouse, and arrange for the housekeeper to help me order a regular gift in return.”

Shishu quickly ran to Gu Ningxi’s side, and pulled the things on the table back into the original bamboo basket.

“Master, This slave is Shishu. Send back a gift? Do you want me to inform Madam?”

Before he could finish speaking, he was slapped, and when he turned around, he saw Liu Guang holding a tea tray, with a bright cup of hot tea standing behind him.

“Excuse me. Master, please have some tea.” Liu Guang lowered her eyebrows and said the first sentence to Shishu, and the second sentence to Gu Ningxi.

Gu Ningxi was worried, but fortunately Shishu was quick on the uptake, and when he looked at the empty table, he felt a bit relieved.

He casually took the hot tea, reassuring himself that the lady was just concerned. He lightly squeezed out the thin edge at the opening with the lid of the teacup, and soundlessly, brought it to his lips. His eyes casually fixed on the knee of his robe, he then asked Liu Guang, “Where did Madam go?”

He breathed out slowly to calm his nerves, then took a sip.

“Back to the master, This is servant Liu Guang. After the madam left the room, she went to third miss Tao’s room.”

Gu Ningxi only felt that the tea in his mouth was extremely bitter, his tongue and teeth were numb, his upbringing made him unable to spit it out, so he could only frown and close his eyes. He took a deep breath, roll his Adam’s apple two or three times, and finally mustered up the courage to Swallow it all down.

The tip of his tongue, to the throat, and even the insides of his stomach were churning painfully. It felt like he was poisoned by the bitter taste coming from the tea.

In the end, Gu Ningxi couldn’t help coughing twice, and raised his sleeve to cover his lips with one hand. The tea in the cup trembled with fine ripples due to the shaking, sending out a bitter fragrance.

Liu Guang stared at his master with perfectly innocent eyes, and when Gu Ningxi opened his eyes, the thin mist from coughing could be seen on the corners of his eyes. His cheeks flushed even more, which made him look like a jade carving that was suddenly tainted with some color.

Gu Ningxi quickly pushed the teacup onto the table, lowered the hand covering his lips and opened the lid to take a closer look. He found that it was actually full of kuding leaves. He could even touched them. When the lid was opened a little wider, he saw that the leaves were divided into three parts.

The thick brown and black long leaves in the tureen were stuffed together inside with a small amount of water. It seemed to be mocking the mortal who couldn’t handle the bitterness it brings.

Gu Ningxi started wretching once again. He turned his head away, just in time to see Shishu bumping the maidservant with his elbow, and reminded softly,

“Are you mute?”

He raised his head as he reprimanded her. Then he turned his eyes and stared at the girl’s hair, so as not to lose focus, and waited for her to explain with a cold “huh”.

Like her mistress, the maidservant lightly and neatly moved forward, and her words were like jumping beans: “Go back to the master, the lady gave me orders, and she told me, to serve Kuding tea to the master to sober him up. The specific dosage is at the discretion of this servant.”

Oh, it turned out that the little maid is pretending to be a tiger, playing tricks on him for his wife. Gu Ningxi let out a long breath of turbid air, not knowing what was in his heart. He was speechless for a moment.

“Then why isn’t madam around to stare at the Master?” Shishu was picky and refused to accept her excuse, not knowing whether he felt sorry for his Master or because Liu Guang was indifferent to him.

Liu Guang squeezed a smile and explained to Gu Ningxi:

“Madam said that if she was present. Master would try not to show signs of bitterness. So she left on purpose and asked this slave to observe the reaction of my master while drinking tea. She also instructed this slave to tell her everything carefully. This slave had offended the Lord, Please forgive me.”

Gu Ningxi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and told the person in front:

“Shishu don’t look for the housekeeper. I will discuss with my wife first, before deciding on a return gift. Well, Liu Guang, right? You go and tell the truth to your Mistress. Oh, You can also watch me take this cup of tea. I’ll drink it all up, and then report it to her.”

After that, he forced himself to look at the cup again, his trembling eyelashes revealed his aversion to the bitter taste, but his big hands holding the handle firmly grasped the cup.

Those jade hands and white porcelain complemented each other. Without waiting for the servants to dissuade him, he brought it to his lips again, holding his breath and taking a big gulp.

Liu Guang was stunned for a moment, then saluted. She then brought out a cup of warm boiled water as if to help Gu Ningxi out of his misery. She quickly asked Gu Ningxi to wash his mouth, and then took her leave.

According to Shishu’s small report to Gu Ningxi, Liu Guang grinned from ear to ear when she saw the jokes of the master almost choking on the teacup, and he didn’t know what she’ll say to add fuel to the mistress.

Gu Ningxi shook his head without saying a word. He quietly sipped the clear water in a slightly groggy manner. He thought about what he would reply to Brother Mo. He should ask him to remind Qiniang to pay attention to her behavior.

***

Tao Xinhe calmed down her raging mind. She is aware that Gu Ningxi is not the type of person who would take off his socks and shoes, and ask Mo Qiqi to measure his size. It’s probably that girl’s own doing. She probably found a way to get her Husband’s shoe size.

Qingfang whispered to her ear.  Informing her about everything that Mo Qiqi did, and what she said when she came to visit. Her younger sister Tao Xinqiang talked about Mo Qiqi and her brother-in-law with a snort. Tao Xinhe couldn’t stand all the ‘Buzzing’ so she decided to send them all away, just wanting to have her peace and quiet for awhile.

Not long after, Liu Guang came to report about Gu Ningxi’s misery to her. Tao Xinhe knew that she couldn’t get away, so she sighed. She pulled herself together, found the butler, and ordered to send out a standard gift to the Mo family. As for the address, let the butler ask the master himself.

In the end, what should she do with this Mo Qiqi? Her husband told her that she was just a righteous sister, but the little girl clearly didn’t want to simply act like a distant righteous sister. Sending shoes to her husband was a clear signal of that.

Men’s underwear, socks, pouches, shoes, and other private items must be taken care of by their own wives and ladies, whether they are handmade by themselves or entrusted to the embroiderers. This is an established common sense, doesn’t Mo Qiqi know that?

Do they really use female family members to sew clothes and shoes from inside to outside with stitches and threads every day?

To Gu Ningxi, isn’t Gu Runing closer than Mo Qiqi? Ru Ning knows how to act accordingly, no matter even before they were marriage, till now, Ru Ning would give her husband some scarves, warm hats, muffs and other not-so-personal handmade items, just to express her heart.

Tao Xinhe felt a headache, so she found a cool and refreshing drink and rubbed it on her temples. She closed her eyes and quietly contemplated.

She still know more about Gu Ningxi’s character, she originally wanted to ignore Mo Qiqi. Turn a blind eye to Gu Ningxi’s occasional visits to the Mo’s house, and just treat it as a simple tryst. She even planned to send Qingfang or Liu Guang to follow her husband just in case. She would try to be patient until this girl finally gets married off.

But now it seemed that the way the little girl and her husband think about getting along is completely different. Then she couldn’t just stand idly by.

***

Gu Ningxi went looking for his wife. He was feeling a bit apprehensive. He saw the lady sitting alone in the chair with one hand propped up, and a murderous look all over her body. His heart was even more uneasy.

Tao Xinhe heard her husband’s deliberate heavy footsteps. She didn’t show her any consideration at all. She glared at Gu Ningxi fiercely with daggers on her eyes. Which eventually prevented him from approaching her.

She said in an unquestionable tone:

“It is not suitable to entertain guests at the beginning of the year. On the first day of the new year, I will go to the Old Gu’s mansion to worship the ancestors. From the second day to the fifth day of the year, I will go back to the Tao Manor for a short stay. On the sixth day, I will accompany my second aunt to Jichangbo’s mansion. Husband invite your righteous brother and sister, to come to the mansion as a guest. So we could finally meet, and know each other.”

***

TL NOTE:

You go girl~ Finally, she could finally meet Mo Qiqi. I wonder how she’ll deal with her. Also, Seriously Gu Ningxi needs to step up bro, He needs to tell Mo Qiqi that what she’s doing is inappropriate. He always chose to keep mum about it, that’s why she’s assuming things.