Chapter 84

As they departed, the young lady emerged from behind the peach tree with swollen eyes from crying. She had secretly lingered, hoping her sweetheart would consider her feelings, but instead, he had nonchalantly discarded her pouch, appearing rather rude.

Xiao Cui felt angry when she witnessed this, but there was little she could do. She could only console the tearful young lady, “Miss, please stop crying. You don’t have to focus all your attention on him. You’re beautiful and come from a good family. If he can’t appreciate you, it’s his loss. He will regret missing out on such a wonderful lady.”

Wang Xiaoyan picked up the neglected sachet, tears still in her eyes. She wondered if he even noticed.

Thankfully, she remembered the importance of her public image. She covered her teary eyes with her handkerchief, lowered her head, and quickly walked past the onlookers.

“Xiao Cui, I’m not in the mood to stay. Let’s go back!” Wang Xiaoyan requested.

Seeing that the young lady seemed unsteady on her feet, Xiao Cui rushed to assist her.

With Xiao Cui’s support, Wang Xiaoyan returned to her room, where a portrait of Guanyin hung on the wall.

Xiao Cui attended to the young lady, silently packing her belongings. She felt uneasy seeing the solitary and despondent lady.

She blamed herself for the unfortunate turn of events. If she hadn’t gifted the pouch to that man, none of this would have happened. Xiao Cui handed a warm cup of tea to the young lady and said, “Miss, have some water. You’ve been crying for a while. Let’s not make your eyes swell from crying.”

Wang Xiaoyan, lost in the sorrow of rejection, gazed at Xiao Cui pitifully. “Xiao Cui, am I really so unlikable?”

Xiao Cui reassured her, “Of course not, Miss. You’re highly regarded in our town, and the young master clearly showed his interest in you.”

“Then why doesn’t he pay more attention to me? Look at me? Why did he just throw it away?” The more Wang Xiaoyan dwelled on it, the more distressed she became, and tears streamed down her face.

Xiao Cui had no choice but to console her and pray to Guanyin.

“Lady Guanyin, my young lady is kind-hearted. Please help her find a good match. She’s a wonderful person. Please guide her.”

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Meanwhile, on the other side, Huang Zilan had calmed down and was praying. He fervently worshipped before the Guanyin, clutching a bamboo tube in his hand and chanting, “Lady Guanyin, please bless me. Please bless me.”

Liao Tingyu stood at the entrance, respecting the traditions that barred men from entering areas reserved for women and children.

Standing at the door, Liao Tingyu anxiously observed Huang Zilan, who had been shaking the bamboo sticks for almost half an hour.

Huang Zilan had pondered for a while, although not quite as long as half an hour, before ultimately making a decision to draw a lot.

He felt a twinge of worry, fearing that the result might bring bad news. Regardless, he shook the lot and immediately examined the characters inscribed on it.

The writing style was reminiscent of typesetting from centuries ago, displaying a distinct difference from modern fonts. Nevertheless, Huang Zilan could discern some meaning in the characters.

He believed it must be a favorable sign. Excited, he rushed to the sign interpretation office and asked, “Master, could you please interpret this lot for me?”

The monk took a look and said, “The donor’s lot is the best one, indicating double happiness ahead. Children will carry on the love between husband and wife, and you’ll grow old together.”

Huang Zilan couldn’t contain his joy, “Double happiness? Could it be…”

He promptly contributed silver to the merit box, bowed before the statue, and expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, Lady Guanyin, and thank you, Master.”

Then, with a cheerful disposition, he brushed aside the unpleasant events of the day and took Liao Tingyu’s hand, exclaiming, “Let’s go, I’m feeling delighted now. We can head to the pond to feed the little turtles.”

The temple housed a pond with crystal-clear water and numerous turtles. Legend had it that the pond’s water was blessed and that the turtles had appeared spontaneously on the temple’s construction day. Subsequently, a monk had won a lotus flower, which transformed the pond, making it splendid in the summer.

Unfortunately, during their visit, all they could see were turtles leisurely swimming about.

The turtle feed was available exclusively from the temple’s vendor, so they had to walk a fair distance to acquire it. Nonetheless, seeing Huang Zilan’s contented expression, Liao Tingyu thought like a doting spouse, ‘It’s all for the sake of enjoyment; the inconvenience doesn’t matter.’

In reality, it was still early spring, and many of the turtles lazily consumed the remnants of lotus leaves that had fallen from the autumn. It wasn’t the most picturesque sight.

However, both of them thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Huang Zilan regarded the day’s minor mishap as inconsequential, while Liao Tingyu found solace in the cheerful experience that helped to overshadow the unpleasant incident.

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Over dinner, Liao Tingyu seized the opportunity presented by Huang Zilan’s good mood to inquire, “So, how did your signature lot turn out today?”

Huang Zilan raised his head, gazing at him, and replied, “Not bad. The master mentioned that we’re a perfect match and complement each other. He even said that you shouldn’t abandon your beloved wife, even if you achieve higher status in the future.”

Liao Tingyu quickly grasped the issue, “Don’t worry. I promise you that I’ll be yours forever.”

After several days of enjoying themselves, they finally returned home.

Upon seeing Huang Zilan’s return, Mother Deng promptly whisked him into the back room, leaving Liao Tingyu behind.

She inquired, “So, what happened? What did you find out? What did the masters say?”

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Liao Ming chimed in, “I was abandoned again. Come and help me catch a chicken.”

Observing Liao Shi’s chicken-catching endeavor, Liao Tingyu mused that it seemed to be an easy task.

He opened the fence, causing a flurry of chicken feathers to scatter into the sky. The chickens’ powerful legs and claws left marks on Liao Tingyu’s legs. Fortunately, he reacted swiftly and kicked the rooster before its sharp beak could strike.

In response, all the chickens in the coop swarmed over, and Liao Tingyu jumped out of the enclosure when he sensed trouble brewing.

Liao Ming was taken aback by the unexpected situation, and the entire chicken coop turned chaotic.

He gazed at his son with a mixture of emotions, asking, “Why did you kick the rooster? That was the only rooster in the entire henhouse.”

Liao Tingyu regarded Liao Ming with utmost seriousness, stating, “He came at me first, and if I hadn’t kicked him, I’m afraid he would have left a bloody hole in my leg.”

Liao Ming looked at his earnest son, while Liao Shi struggled to contain his laughter nearby. The effort might have been too much, as tears welled up.

Liao Ming held his forehead and waited for the chickens to calm down a bit before he reached in and picked up a hen.

Liao Tingyu could sense his father’s disapproval. He saw the hen clung to its last bit of dignity, saying, “Dad, you can do it on your own? Why did you make me do it earlier?”

Liao Ming turned his head, glancing at the wood scattered on the ground and the broken rivets he had been working on all morning. He had some time to spare.

“You’ve got nothing to do but talk. A chicken isn’t even half as tall as your calf!” Liao Ming responded bluntly, carrying the chicken into the kitchen.

Liao Shi watched his father depart and burst into laughter. He glanced at Liao Tingyu, who was giving him an unpleasant look, and tried to stifle his mirth. However, no matter how hard he suppressed it, he couldn’t hold it back.

“Oh, my little brother, don’t mind me. You have your own matters to attend to, right?”

Meanwhile, the millstone was turning, and Liao Tingyu sat on the steps, seething with anger as he glared at the chicken.

The more he contemplated it, the more irritated he became, so he grabbed a long branch and started chasing the chickens around.

Seeing the chickens scurrying in every direction, he felt a sense of relief.

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In the kitchen, the atmosphere was considerably more cheerful.

“Mother, the fortune teller said we’ll have double happiness,” Huang Zilan gleefully shared his news.

Mother Deng turned around abruptly, inquiring, “Double happiness? What do you mean…”

She gazed intently at Huang Zilan, waiting for an explanation.

Huang Zilan nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, that’s what I mean. I’ve pondered it for a long time, and it seems that this is the only joyous occasion in our family. Besides, my husband’s teacher says there’s no issue with my husband study.”

Mother Deng clapped her hands in excitement, exclaiming, “Okay, my son will be a Jinshi. Oh, my God has blessed me! Daughter-in-law, you must remember not to hold your husband back now, and you need to keep up with his meals. You’ll be liberated in the future. I’ll teach you some massage techniques; you should study diligently and serve your husband well.”

Huang Zilan blushed and nodded, saying, “I’ll learn diligently.”

Listening to mother Deng sharing all his experiences, the two reluctantly left the room.

Outside, they witnessed an utterly childish scene involving Liao Tingyu.

Mother Deng, feeling the most sympathetic, rushed over.

“My sweethearts!! Son, what are you doing? Give me the stick back quickly.”

Liao Tingyu didn’t expect them to exit so soon.

In any case, his anger had subsided by now, so he tossed the stick aside and said, “They’re your sweethearts now!”

Mother Deng readily agreed, saying, “Yes, what’s the matter? Why did you do it?”

Liao Tingyu didn’t respond, but Huang Zilan, who had guessed the situation from the hole in his pants, gave him an unkind smile and rolled his eyes.

Mother Deng was still unaware of the situation, and she was looking at the chicken feathers strewn about the ground with sympathy.

“Can you keep this chicken alive after losing so many feathers?” Mother Deng was on the verge of tears.

“You prodigal child!”

Liao Tingyu understood that his brief moment of solace had led to unintended consequences. “How about I make it to be ‘Mom’s Beggar Chicken’? It’s delicious, aromatic, and tender. I guarantee you’ll want to have another piece after eating one. It just so happens there are some ready-made ingredients. But I’m guessing there might not be enough, so we can buy more and prepare it.”

Mother Deng never expected to hear these words.

Wasn’t she supposed to be consoled?

Liao Tingyu, observing Mother Deng’s shocked expression, said, “Mother, don’t you believe me? I’ll cook tonight, and I’ll teach you how to make it. Luckily, Father just caught one and went inside.” He called into the room, “Father, have you slaughtered the chicken? I’ll come in and help you. I know a delicious way to prepare it.”@@novelbin@@

He dashed away, leaving behind three bewildered people and a group of slightly injured, tired chickens.

Mother Deng was somewhat incredulous, murmuring, “Who does this child take after?”

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That evening, Mother Deng savored the aroma of the beggar’s chicken and said, “I never expected the fragrance to penetrate the earth so wonderfully! Alright, my son, you can have a chicken leg.”

Liao Tingyu immediately extended his bowl. As expected, he was still the favorite. As for the Mi Gao, he nibbled on his paws, looking somewhat dejected.

Huang Zilan observed the man, who was enjoying a chicken drumstick while being fawned over by a chicken, and munching on the savory and tender chicken wings.

He contemplated asking him for a prescription when they returned.