The Grand Secretary’s Pampered Wife-Chapter 18
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S T E L L A R C L O U D
[Celeste S.] [Azurixa] [Robert K.]
O R A N G E S T A R
[Talia R.] [K.Rom]
Y E L L O W S T A R
[Camille] [Linds] [Esther D.]
Xiao Liulang went out awkwardly.
They had no brown sugar at home, and the market was already closed at this late hour. If they wanted brown sugar, they could only borrow it from someone else's home.
Xiao Liulang never asked anything from anyone, let alone the brown sugar that women drink when it was their time of the month.
He stood under the eaves, his cheeks burning a little.
After taking a few deep breaths, he stepped forward and went to the east end of the village.
"Aunt Zhang." He knocked at the door of the Zhang Family.
When Aunt Zhang opened the door and saw it was him, she smiled and asked, "It's Liulang. What's the matter for you to come here so late?"
"I... Came to borrow some brown sugar." Xiao Liulang feigned calmness and replied.
In the countryside, brown sugar was a rare thing, and most families didn’t have it at home. Aunt Zhang's daughter-in-law had just given birth to a baby and was in the middle of her confinement[1]. Xiao Liulang had heard before that she asked Second Uncle Luo to go to the market to buy her brown sugar.
"What are you going to do with brown sugar? Is Gu girl pregnant?" Aunt Zhang asked.
Xiao Liulang's cheeks were burning again, "No, she’s not!"
"Ah, then her period must’ve arrived. Oh? Is it her first time?" Aunt Zhang was an experienced person. One glance at his appearance and she already knew what was going on.
She didn’t expect that Liulang was also a very thoughtful one.
Aunt Zhang went back to the house to get a bowl of brown sugar for him and then teased, "It’s a joyful event for a woman to finally have their time of the month. It means that she would birth a baby for you soon!"
Xiao Liulang simply had no idea how he left there.
When he brought the boiled brown sugar water to Gu Jiao's room, Xue Ningxiang had already gone back, and Gu Jiao was lying sideways on the bed, looking a little weak.
He entered the room without glancing sideways and put the brown sugar water on the table, "Drink this first, then call me if it's not enough."
He said, then turned around and left.
Although he walked very fast, the sharp-eyed Gu Jiao noticed that his ears were red.
Gu Jiao chuckled and drank every drop of brown sugar water in the bowl.
She didn't expect the brown sugar water to be really effective. Her body warmed up, and her whole person felt comfortable. It didn’t take long before she fell asleep.
That night, she dreamed again.
She dreamed that she got up late the next day. Xiao Liulang went out alone and met Gu Xiaoshun at the entrance of the village.
The two people went to the academy together and entered the same class.
Gu Xiaoshun was always a person who feared nothing, and thus, he slept through the whole morning class, which gave people a very bad impression. When they were assigning dormitory rooms, no one wanted to live with him, only Xiao Liulang came forward.
The two of them were assigned to the westernmost dormitory room, which was in disrepair. As soon as they entered, the roof collapsed, causing Xiao Liulang to become seriously injured and Gu Xiaoshun slightly injured.
The next day, Gu Jiao really got up late.
Because she already experienced such a foreseeing dream last time, Gu Jiao was much calmer this time.
Xiao Liulang was no longer at home. He should have already gone to the academy.
Second Uncle Luo's oxcart went to town so she had no choice but to head there on foot. When she arrived at the academy, it was already noon.
Gu Xiaoshun slept on the table until the student in front of him poked him with a brush and said, "Hey, it's time for lunch!"
Gu Xiaoshun simply rubbed his eyes, sat up and said, "Ah, it’s already time to eat?"
The students around him looked at the folds on his cheeks from being pressed against the book, and they all sniggered.
Who in the class didn't know that Gu Xiaoshun had some connections with someone in the academy and came in through the back door? Nevertheless, they still didn’t expect this guy to be a complete good-for-nothing.
Even they, who were in the worst class of Tianxiang Academy, had never been such a slacker before.
Everyone looked at Gu Xiaoshun with a hint of disapproval.
Just then, Teacher Zhang of their class came over.
Teacher Zhang said, "Today, we're going to assign your dormitory rooms. Four people will share one room. You can discuss it yourself and then come to me to get the keys to your rooms."
There were 26 people in Earth Class B, which meant that there were two people that would share one room.
Everyone soon formed their groups. Xiao Liulang's deskmate, who was already with his two childhood friends, asked Xiao Liulang to join them.
Gu Xiaoshun, on the other hand, was down on his luck. No one wanted to live in the same room as him, thus he succeeded to be alone. There was also a student who took a leave yesterday and only entered the academy today. Because he didn’t know everyone, he was also left out.
But apparently, this student also disliked Gu Xiaoshun. He said, "I... I don't want to share a room with him!"
"Humph! Then I will live by myself!" Gu Xiaoshun crossed his arms over his chest and looked to the sky.
Of course, he couldn’t live by himself. Was the other student supposed to sleep on the wall then?
Xiao Liulang said faintly, "I will change places with you."
The student was moved to tears and thanked him several times, he was just this short from calling XIao Liulang ‘Father’.
Gu Xiaoshun prattled, "Brother-in-law, you don't have to live with me! It's not that I don't want to live with you, I just think... "
Xiao Liulang took the key from Teacher Zhang and left with a straight face.
Gu Xiaoshun smacked his lips and reluctantly followed.
All the good rooms had been picked out, and the remaining one was the farthest end room. The two people walked forward with their baggage.
Just halfway through, a small boy servant ran over with his brows beaded with sweat and said, "Which one of you is Xiao Liulang?"
Xiao Liulang stopped, turned around and said to him, "I am."
The boy servant said while gasping, "Your family is here! She’s waiting for you outside and said it's urgent! She wants you to see her at once!"
Xiao Liulang was an orphan. The only one who could be called his family was her.
Xiao Liulang paused and said to Gu Xiaoshun, "It's your sister."
"My big sis is here?" As soon as Gu Xiaoshun heard that Gu Jiao was here, he was in high spirits. He said, "What are you waiting for? Hurry and let’s see my big sis!"
As a matter of fact, they were only a few steps away from their room, so it wasn’t impossible to put in their things first before they went to see her.
But she said it was urgent.
Xiao Liulang quickened his pace. With his baggage and his crutch, he went to the academy gate with Gu Xiaoshun.
The streets were crowded with people coming and going. As usual, Gu Jiao was wearing inconspicuous clothes, but Xiao Liulang was able to recognize her at a glance.
She stood in the cold wind, so that her little face was a bit reddened by the cold. And perhaps she didn’t like the noise, her eyebrows would slightly frown from time to time.
"Big sis! Big sis!" Gu Xiaoshun ran excitedly towards Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao glanced at him and soon shifted her gaze to see Xiao Liulang behind the crowd.
Xiao Liulang happened to be looking at her as well. Their four eyes met. Xiao Liulang was a bit startled while Gu Jiao simply smiled.
Xiao Liulang’s gaze staggered and then he walked towards her.
"Big sis, why are you looking for us? What happened?" Gu Xiaoshun asked.
"Oh, it’s nothing." Gu Jiao said softly, "I was looking for you so we can have lunch together."
After that, she saw Xiao Liulang looking at her skeptically. She fixed Gu Xiaoshun's collar and said solemnly, "It’s your first day attending the academy, it’s hard not to be worried about you."
Soon, they went to a nearby noodle restaurant and ordered three bowls of plain noodle soup.
It was the same restaurant where Feng Lin took Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao to eat last time.
Xiao Liulang didn’t eat very well.
Gu Jiao said, "Aren’t these noodles the same from your hometown? You don't like it?"
"It's not as good as your cooking." This sentence was blurted out subconsciously. The moment Xiao Liulang said it, he froze.
Gu Jiao was also stunned for a bit, then she looked at him with her chin on her hand and said smilingly, "Alright, I will cook dinner for you."
Gu Xiaoshun had a big appetite. After he finished eating one bowl, he wanted to eat another, but somehow, he suddenly felt full.
"How come I’m suddenly full?"
*****
Puppy: Maybe because you’ve eaten my food!!! [T/N: This part is the author’s joke. There’s a Chinese internet slang that says ‘being fed with dog food’ which means being exposed to a couple's public display of affections.]
1. ↑ — Also known as "sitting the month" in China, the period when women stay indoor after giving birth for recuperation and for feeding the baby.
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Also, please also have a look at our other translations!
Everyone But Me Is Reborn
Her father is a coward and senselessly filial. Her mother is weak and gullible. Her elder brother is a wastrel.
When she married into the Wangfu, she suffered and was coldly treated. And by the time she was in labour, she was fated to die with the unborn child in her belly.
This was supposed to be Ning Nuan's life.
However this time, everyone but her is reborn.
Ning Nuan is at a loss. She felt that her dad has suddenly become the pillar of the family, her mother’s temper became fierce, and even her elder brother, who would only walk the dogs and play with birds all day, has begun picking up books and reading them carefully.
There is also that juvenile that shows up at the wall of her courtyard everyday, calling her “Ah Nuan, Ah Nuan” with an honest face.
