Chapter 41: Walking Back

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

At this moment, for some reason, everyone felt a chill run down their backs.

“Shut up!” Jiang Si’s expression changed in an instant as if he had realized that someone was beside him. Then, he pulled a face and put on a fake smile. It was nauseating to look at.

“Little sister, are you blaming big brother for not helping you to plead with Young Master Du?” Jiang Si looked very sad as if he had been deeply hurt by Jiang Xi’s insensible behavior.

“Alright, alright. Your little sister is still young. Go back and educate her slowly. As an elder brother, you have to act like one. At most, we can walk back. The bright moon will be the light and guide us forward. It’ll also be a different scenery,” He Tongwen said in a light tone.

Jiang Xi immediately nodded. “Since fourth brother and the rest of you already have an idea, I’ll go back and tell second brother.” After saying that, Jiang Xi lazily glanced at He Tongwen and Jiang Si. She felt that these scholars were all out of their minds. They had left the ox-cart and insisted on walking back. Forget it, she would go back and tell her second brother not to wait.

Jiang Si did not say a word as he watched Jiang Xi walk away. He looked at Jiang Xi’s back and cursed this wretched girl in his heart. She had only returned to find the carriage after he had lost his temper. She was really asking for a scolding. At this moment, Jiang Xi and Jiang Si had no idea how much of a deviation their thoughts had caused.

It took nearly two hours to get from the town to the Happy Village by ox-cart. If they walked, it would probably take them from noon to dark. When Jiang Xi returned from the academy, her second brother, Jiang Qi, was already waiting by the ox-cart. They had booked the entire ox-cart for the day, so it was not a bad thing for Jiang Si’s vanity.

“Second brother, fourth brother and the others said that they want to walk to the village by following the moon. They told us not to wait for them or to pick them up.” At this moment, Jiang Xi could only remember the phrase ‘the bright moon leads the way’ in her mind. In her world, she would only remember the most important sentence.

Jiang Er’s basket was full of things, and Jiang Xi could not see what was in it, but Jiang Er seemed a little uneasy. From time to time, he would put his finger to the tip of his nose. She did not know what was wrong with him, but his symptoms were very similar to lovesickness.

Jiang Xi and Jiang Qi, one of whom was severely mentally ill and the other one was restless and thinking about something, drove the ox-cart back leisurely. They had no idea that the self-proclaimed scholars, Jiang Si, and the others, had almost broken their legs from walking! However, Jiang Xi accused them of wanting to be with the bright moon, which made them feel bitter but unable to say anything. They could only vaguely doubt Jiang SI’s words that his sister, Jiang Xi, was a coward.

As soon as Jiang Xi and Jiang Qi arrived at the entrance of the village, they saw smoke rising from the kitchen chimneys all over the village. It was a good time for the autumn harvest. No family would go home until dark, but today was a good day for family reunions. Everyone had gone home early and was waiting for their reunion. Jiang Xi found it interesting to see the others harvesting rice and peanuts.

“We have to rush these two days to collect the grain and dry it. It will be bad if it rains.” Under the big tree, there was an old man smoking a cigarette, taking big puffs of smoke. The weather had been good these years, and life in Happy Village was getting better and better. There were many elderly people, and except for people like the Jiang family who had four sons in a row and had no in-laws to help them, most of them could have a full meal.

“Mother, peanuts are a rare thing. It’s sold at a high price in the town. Usually, you don’t even bear to let us have a bite.” As soon as they got off the ox-cart, they heard Jiang Shan’s loud voice coming from the courtyard.

Jiang Xi and Jiang Qi pushed the door open and saw that their mother, Yang Fen, had filled a large pot with peanuts that they had just pulled out from the ground. Jiang Shan had even grabbed two large handfuls and hidden them in his pocket when Yang Fen was not paying attention.

“Jiang Xi, you’re back! Come, come, come, third brother hunted some good stuff today. We’ll kill and eat the big one today, and leave the two small ones for you to raise.” Jiang Shan took Jiang Xi to the kitchen and saw three gray hares in the bamboo cage. The big one was too fat to move, and the two small ones were curled up.

“We’re lucky today. Jiang Shan went up the mountain and caught some rabbits. I won’t kill the chicken at home, but I’ll make you guys braised rabbit tonight. It’s getting dark.” Yang Fen glanced outside the door and only saw Jiang Zhi moving things back and forth from the ox-cart. She did not see her youngest son, Jiang Si, who she was most proud of. Jiang Si was a scholar and cared about his reputation. She had to try her best to give her son the best honor.