Chapter 10: Gift

Translated by Dandan, Unedited

The next day, Luo Fei woke up and didn’t see Luo Ji. He thought that Luo Ji had woken up super early that morning to plough more land. Later, he learned that Luo Ji had gone to town with Xi Yanqing.
Luo Fei was so anxious that he almost dropped and shattered the porridge bowl: “Why didn’t you tell me?! I want to go too.”

He had been here for so many days but still hadn’t gotten to go to town yet, and the impression of the town he has is all from the old Luo Fei’s memories. He also wants to check it out, especially the cloth and embroidery shops, to see what level those have developed.

“Who knew that you wanted to go? That said, they left at chou time (around 1 to 3 o’clock), can you even get up that early?” Li Yuehua took chopsticks and knocked on Luo Fei’s head. “Come and drink your porridge! You have grown this big and have never gotten up that early!”

“What are they doing? Mother? Are they going to buy something?”

“Well, that Xi guy said that he wanted to go buy something, and I didn’t ask for details. I guess he would be buying something for the bride-price.”

 

[T/N: bride-price sounds sketchy cuz it’s like they’re selling him but it’s basically the opposite of a dowry (what the bride’s family gives to the groom’s.)]
“Wasn’t the bride price already given?”

“No. You silly boy, the one that was given before was the betrothal gift, not the bride-price. This is a two-issue thing. After the bride-price, you and his affairs will be completely settled, and the whole village will know.” Li Yuehua said, “Although this family does have much, to say, but this mother can not wrong you, and what we need to have we will have.”
“Does he know what to buy?” Bride-price, money can’t just be given for feelings!

“Well, he should know. That Xi guy is a detailed person, and the things he does isn’t bad. Even then, isn’t your elder brother also with him?” Li Yuehua said and then looked at Luo Tian. “Mother wants to tell you about the other thing, Erbao. It’s the day when you will get married. Mother and your father have discussed it and decided it to be on the sixth day of the next month.”

“The sixth day of the next month?!” Luo Fei was shocked for a while. “Isn’t this too urgent?! How come I can’t even have a month? I haven’t stayed at home enough yet.” Today should be the twenty-fifth. In other words, the day he and Xi Yanqing would get married would only be 11 days away? !

Let him first see that the crops Xi Yanqing planted have already grown so he can confirm that he will not be starved and then let him go!

Li Yuehua retracted her smile: “This child, how come you have so many issues? When have mother and father done anything harmful towards you? On that day, that day is definitely the best and most fortuitous day. Other days are not as good, you will have little fortune, you, ai which one do think is best to choose?!”

 

Luo Fei is still a little unhappy. Originally, he was convinced that Xi Yanqing’s few words could settle it yesterday, but it was not done!

Shit! He couldn’t just rely on that!
Luo Fei also wanted to fight for a few more days, but when he turned his head and saw Luo Tian glaring at him, and he immediately relented.

A good man will eat the loss in front of him! If he has to get married then he’ll just get married!
“Erbao, you can be rest assured that Xi guy is a good one. Today, before he went to the town, he said that he would like to look at the furniture in the town and make you some good looking ones. Is that not done for you too? Even then, you are eighteen, not small anymore, how could you still stay by your mother and father’s side? Listen to mother, get married early, and give the Xi family a branch (offspring, aka a fat baby lol) early. The kid has not had a family since very early, being alone is not easy, he definitely hopes that the family can be more lively.”

“Ahhh.” Open branches and leaves, huh? Better draw a line separating Chu and Han instead.

(I think this means instead of have kids, rather draw a line between them aka they’ll never sleep together?)
Luo Fei drank the porridge. After a while, he asked: “Mother, what should be given as a bride-price?”
Li Yuehua said: “That depends on the conditions. At the very least, have a fish, buy two chickens, buy two pounds of pork and then two pots of wine. This is the most basic. If you want better, add some tea and cakes. There are also dates, peanuts, long yan, melon seeds, sweet candies, and such. You forgot what I brought to your sister-in-law’s place when your big brother got married?”

Luo Fei really forgot. But listening to what Li Yuehua said, his saliva almost came down. He had to eat at least two kinds of fruits every day before he transmigrated here. After that, he had never seen fruit.

This time, he hoped that Xi Yanqing would buy lots of food and come back.

Xi Yanqing had just gone to the town for just a little while. He has already said to Luo Ji on the road, he wants to buy a cow as part of the bride-price, lest Luo Fei always envy other families having cattle. But this time, saying he would buy a cow doesn’t mean he could just buy it.

Buying cows first of all is a big deal. Buying cows that work for the family, it has to be docile – some cows have a big temper, even will fight its master, and no one wanted to raise one like that. Some cows may be sick, but it wouldn’t be apparent for a while. They had to be observant.

Xi Yanqing had brought his money when he left his house. He didn’t expect to go to the ox market place, and see there was no suitable one. One bull looked good, one and a half years old, it looked fat and very healthy, but was flower-patterned, and the asking price is a bit high, the seller actually wants seven silver liang.

 

He is anxious to buy a cow, but he can’t just throw away money!

Luo Ji also felt it expensive, and took Xi Yanqing away and did not let him buy.

Xi Yanqing wanted to see another one, but this town is not big, with only that one cattle market, there was no other place to buy here.

“If you really want to buy a cow to make Erbao happy, I will take you to find Han Yang.” Luo Ji saw that Xi Yanqing still had an air of not wanting to give up and said, “Han Yang, do you remember? After you left in the past few years, his second uncle has started selling cows. It is understandable to them. We can ask him to help, and he will check if there are any people in the nearby villages who are selling cattle. I will find some acquaintances, and we can buy them cheaply but not get swindled. What the cattle dealers on this bull market say can’t be trusted. I used to listen to Han’s second uncle; he said that some black-hearted swindlers give medicine to sick cows. The cow looks fine and everything on the market and people would buy, but then after a few days. It’s dead.”

 

“That’s terrible. Then, I just won’t buy the cow today. But please do help me ask, Ji-ge.” Xi Yanqing said, “I have been away from home all these years, I have already let Erbao suffer a lot of grievances, I don’t want to be a husband in this life that makes him feel unhappy.”

“I know it, you silly boy, you’re more infatuated than me! Er-bao has met eight years of blessings.” Luo Ji patted the shoulder of Xi Yanqing, “Go, I see there are other things you need to buy.”

“If I buy too much, I am afraid that we will not be able bring it all back.”

“Do not worry, we are two people, what things can you buy that we won’t be able to bring back?” Luo Ji felt that even if they bought all the bride-price gifts, it would be fine.

Xi Yanqing smiled but didn’t speak. Originally, according to his thoughts, he would go out early in the morning, and the sooner he arrived in the town, the better. After looking at the cows first, it was best to buy the cow at noon, so that he could buy other things, and when he got home, he could let the cows carry it back. But now he hadn’t bought a cow.

It seemed that now he could only buy light, good things.

Xi Yanqing bought tea leaves, cakes, dates, peanuts, long yan, melon seeds, and so on. Then the brothers found a place to eat some dry food and found a tea house owner to buy two bowls of hot tea to wash it all down. Xi Yanqing then went to buy the fish, buy the meat, and a pair of chickens – these things according to what Luo Ji said, how much to buy depended on the number of parents living in the world. If both parents were alive, to buy two pairs, if one wasn’t, then to buy one.

Finally, Xi Yanqing bought two chickens, two fish, six jars of wine, and six pounds of pork. Plus those bits and pieces of nuts, sugar, and others, he filled four baskets completely! Luckily Luo Ji had amazing strength, and if he wasn’t with him, he didn’t know how he would be able to bring all of it back.

[T/N: I’m a bit confused because 2 pairs would be 4 chickens but I assume the author made a mistake somewhere O.o]

At the time, Xi Yanqing said to Luo Fei that he was looking for someone who he had commonality and could discuss the same topics to live with, but when he was doing things, he was doing it according to the rules of actual marriage customs. As for the reason, perhaps only he knows it.

“This should be about enough?” Luo Ji had things on his back, hanging around his neck, in his hands, tied around his waist. Now he doesn’t look like a person, but rather a shelf.

“We should also buy some fabrics and cotton to make new quilts.” Xi Yanqing said. Although he has never been married before, Xi Yanqing still knows that they should prepare new wedding quilts.

“Let’s leave the quilts’ materials for tomorrow. If we get anymore things, we won’t be able to take everything back.” It already takes one person to carry the wine and meat alone. “Also, we don’t know how much cotton and fabric to buy.  On top of that, we bought fish and meat. If the smell gets onto the materials, it would not be good.”

“True, then let’s go back and let Er-bao measure the sizes we need. I will bring him with me and let him pick the patterns he likes. But there is one thing I still have to buy. Ji-ge, wait for me for a little bit, I will come back soon. ” Xi Yanqing, having said that, was already walking away. When he came back later, he had a small cloth bag in his arms.

“What did you buy now?” Luo Ji asked curiously.

“Something for Erbao, but I can’t tell you.” Xi Yanqing carefully tucked away the thing. Then he carefully secured the ropes of the jars of wine on his shoulders.

The two rushed back with today’s purchases.  By the time they reached home, it was all dark.

Since he was to bring the bride-price to the Luo house at dawn, Luo Ji helped Xi Yanqing bring the items for the bride-price to the Xi house  with the exception of the cloth bag he bought at the end. Xi Yanqing gave it to Luo Ji to take it back with him. Luo Ji didn’t know what was inside the cloth bag, but he only found that it was not too heavy when Xi Yanqing handed it over.

“Should I just directly give this to Erbao?” asked Luo Ji before leaving.

“En, just giving it to him is fine.” Xi Yanqing said, “Thank you so much for your help elder brother.”

“You’re already calling me “elder brother”. What should I make of this? Rest early.”

“Yes, you must not forget the thing about the cow.”

“Rest assured.” Luo Ji waved his hand and saw that the time was not too late. After going to the Han house, he went home.

“Hey! Father! Mother! I am back!” Luo Ji shouted outside the door.

“Hey, you came back?” Li Yuehua quickly came out. “Are you tired? Have you eaten?”

“I ate something, where’s father?”

“Don’t mention it, your father is comforting Si-bao.”

“What happened to Si-bao?” Luo Ji just finished asking, and then he heard his sister’s bold laughter. “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! You deserved it!”

“Ou!” Luo Yi placed a bucket next to him. He vomited for a while and looked at Luo Ru with watery eyes. “Sister, don’t you have any sympathy?!”
“What is this?” asked Luo Ji.

*Cough* “Nothing.” Luo Fei said with difficulty as he laughed. “That is… Sibao, he sneaked in and took the porcelain dish Xi Yanqing gave Erbao then poured soy sauce in it to use for dipping pancakes.”

“The funniest thing is that Er-ge said that the porcelain plate is his specially used shit stick, hahahahahahahaha! Not only did Si-ge actually use the thing that Er-ge uses to scrape his butt as a dish, but he also poured and used it to dip soy sauce. Oh my god, so funny, my stomach hurts, hahahahahahahaha!”

“Sister! If you keep on laughing, believe me or not, I will really get angry!” Luo Yi was almost angered to death, and was already depressed, but she still laughed at him!

“This, this you can only blame yourself, Sibao. Who made you not ask your second brother beforehand?” Luo Ji said as he gave the cloth bag to Luo Fei, “Erbao, this is what Xi-di (younger brother Xi) bought and told me to give you. He didn’t even let me see what’s inside. Why don’t you take a look?”

“What is it?” Luo Fei was a little curious. Before he opened it, he thought it might be something to eat. He didn’t expect to see rows of needle thread ordered neatly. The threads were in all kinds of vibrant colors. There wasn’t only a lot, but the texture and quality also felt good on the hands.

From when he was young till now, he had received many gifts, but Luo Fei vaguely felt that there was never a gift that he liked as much as this one!

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