Chapter 3: 3

Chapter 3 – A Box

Not long after, Shen Jiajia’s mother came back. The family of three changed into simple and neat clothes, then left home. Shen Bukuai rented an ox cart as his uncle’s family was in the countryside.

When Zhu Erniang saw the cart, she felt a little distressed. “Let’s just walk, it’s a waste of money for nothing.”

Since the wasted money had been spent, naturally there was no need to walk. However, the ox cart was not much faster than walking.

Shen Jiajia got on the ox cart carrying the basket containing joss paper and incense candle. Just as she sat down, she felt the basket shook faintly. She looked down and saw that the white cloth covering the basket was slightly raised, and immediately, a small head poked out from under the white cloth.

With red cheeks and a tuft of upturned feathers on its head, who would it be if it wasn’t Chengfeng the parrot?

Xie Chengfeng’s upturned feathers shook when he turned his head to look left and right.

Zhu Erniang gasped a “Ya,” pointed at it and asked, “Sanniang, why is it still alive, what ghost did you disturb?”

Shen Jiajia smiled a “he-he”.

Zhu Erniang soon realized, then pointed at her forehead with her index finger. “You, you!”

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Xie Chengfeng sneaked out along just to get some information. He wanted to know whether his human body was alive or dead, and if he didn’t die, was that body occupied by some other soul? Could it be that it was occupied by this parrot?

If a bird possessed his body…

He didn’t dare to think about it.

He didn’t hear any useful news along the way. It was all about A family this, B family that, or peddlers selling their goods, or some people arguing and cursing. Xie Chengfeng was a little bored and fell asleep unknowingly.

When he woke up again, he found that Shen Jiajia was fishing him out of the basket with one hand.

To think that he, Xie Chengfeng—who was a master of pen and sword, was good in bow and arrow, and usually unmatched in fights—now was being carried by a girl with one hand, it was really a great shame, a great shame!

Shen Jiajia wanted to hide Chengfeng in her sleeve, but worried about choking it, so she tucked it under the clothes on her chest, revealing only a small head.

Xie Chengfeng crawled out in silence, climbing up along her clothes to her shoulder, and perched there.

Shen Jiajia was no longer concerned with it.

After burning the paper and kowtowing, Zhu Erniang chatted with the relatives while Shen Jiajia looked for the sisters around her age to play together. She brought an odd and beautiful parrot with her today, so all children—big and small—were chattering around her, causing her to be the focus of attention.

Xie Chengfeng was quite irritated, standing on Shen Jiajia’s shoulders, he squinted his eyes and pretended to sleep. Unexpectedly there were some insensitive people who kept chattering and even reached out a hand to prod him.

Xie Chengfeng got angry and said, “Don’t touch me.”

“Hee hee hee it got angry!”

“……”

Shen Jiajia raised her hand to block him and explained, “It got sick today, so you guys just take a look and don’t run your hands around it.”

Someone didn’t care to listen and shouted loudly, “I’m going to hold it so give it to me to play with!” The child’s voice sounded angry.

Shen Jiajia took a closer look and saw that it was her second uncle’s youngest son, called Qilang[1], who was only three years old this year. Even though he was young, his temperament was already somewhat overbearing.

At this time, he was being carried in the arms of his older sister. Shen Jiajia stretched her hand to touch his head. Glancing at him casually, she saw that his two sleeves were dirty as if a lump of something had accumulated there, and there was a snot drooping under his nose. Following her gaze, he naturally raised his sleeves and gave his nose a wipe.

It was unknown how much snot he had to wipe to get his sleeves as filthy as that.

Shen Jiajia withdrew her hand and jokingly said, “My parrot is from overseas, and it is worth 10 taels of silver. If you take out 10 taels of silver now, I’ll give it to you to play with.”

Qilang frowned, wanting to cry.

His sister smiled and said, “Just give our Qilang a chance to touch is all. Qilang is very clean, him touching will not break your treasure.” After saying that, she carried Qilang a little higher, leaning in front of Shen Jiajia to grab the opportunity.

Shen Jiajia hadn’t responded yet, but Xie Chengfeng had puffed up his feathers, while backing up further and further away on Shen Jiajia’s shoulders, almost falling down. He seemed to feel very threatened. “Go away, country bumpkins!” he shouted as he retreated.

The word “country bumpkin” caused the whole group to be silent.

Most of the people present lived in the countryside. As a matter of fact, they would all be counted as what Xie Chengfeng said—country bumpkins. Even someone like Shen Jiajia who lived in the city was just a commoner, and was not qualified to call others country bumpkins.

Shen Jiajia’s bird scolded everyone as country bumpkins, which could be counted as Shen Jiajia’s scolding them.

Shen Sanniang, how noble can you be?

Under everyone’s unfriendly gaze, Shen Jiajia awkwardly flicked Chengfeng’s head and said, “Don’t speak nonsense.” Then she apologized to everyone.

Of course, once the words had already been said and the heart had been hurt, it couldn’t be reversed. Qilang cried and was taken away by his sister. The sister and brother pair felt aggrieved and turned around to tell their mother about it.

“She said it would take ten taels of silver to touch, and they called us country bumpkins!”

Shen Jiajia’s second aunt[2] had a violent temper. Hearing this, she was extremely furious. She slapped her daughter’s face and scolded, “Little wench! Who told you to come over and ask for a scolding! Other people are going to climb higher branches in the future and be an honored lady. But you, what kind of thing are you?!”

Both older sister and younger brother were so frightened that they cried together.

Second Aunt Shen didn’t feel happy after scolding her daughter, and went out to go to the latrine. On the way, a fellow villager pulled her aside and asked in a low voice, “Hey hey hey, your niece Shen Sanniang is getting more and more attractive—does she have a marriage partner yet?”

Second Aunt Shen sneered and said, “What about her? Don’t even think about it.”

“Oh?”

“Our little sister-in-law’s son[3]—you must have never seen him before. He is a person with talent and studies very well. He will take the imperial provincial exam next year and imperial civil service exam the year after. Sanniang will be married to him after waiting for him to pass the examination with flying colors!”

“Ah? If he really could pass the imperial civil service exam, he could be matched with a high-ranking official’s daughter. Why, why would…” Why would you marry a girl from a small and humble family?

“Oh, you don’t understand. Sanniang is actually educated. People like us both, in their eyes, are all country bumpkins and villagers, so don’t get carried away!”

Psst psst wssp wssp…

The two talked with gusto there, unaware that Zhu Erniang was standing on the other side of the corner.

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Zhu Erniang didn’t mean to eavesdrop; she was just there by chance. When she heard them talking sarcastically about her daughter, she felt anxious, angry, and unable to understand. She wanted to stand up and refute those words. However, she was not eloquent in speech—going out there would only equal to asking for embarrassment.

She couldn’t listen anymore, so she turned around while covering her eyes and walked away quickly.

Shen Jiajia found that something was wrong with her mother; her eyes were red, she sat sullenly, and while the people around her were chatting, she was on a mental journey by herself.

“Mother, I want to go back,” Shen Jiajia said.

“Ah? Then let’s go home.”

Just like that, the family of three didn’t stay to eat dinner, and hastily returned with the ox cart.

On the way, Zhu Erniang didn’t conceal the matter and told Shen Jiajia what she had heard.

Xie Chengfeng was forced to listen to the whole mess of grievance and animosity of the country bumpkins. He wished he could cut off his ears.

After Zhu Erniang finished speaking, she hesitated. “Your cousin…”

Shen Jiajia pouted. “Mother, I’m still young, so I’m not in a hurry to get married.”

“You’re already seventeen, not so young anymore,” Zhu Erniang patted her hand and comforted, “Don’t worry, Mother has prepared quite a lot of dowry for you, no one will dare to look down on you.”

Hearing this, Shen Jiajia let out a small laugh.

Zhu Erniang asked curiously, “What are you laughing at?”

Shen Bukuai, who was driving in front, also looked back at her.

Shen Jiajia said, “Mother, why do you think Second Aunt is gnashing her teeth at me? Is it really just because my parrot scolded Qilang as a country bumpkin?”

Xie Chengfeng thought, but I’m not yours.

“If not for that, then what’s the reason?” Zhu Erniang asked.

“Second aunt has always wanted Father to adopt Qilang. She is afraid that when I get married, my dowry will be too generous, and I will take away all the family property. But you still talk about the dowry anyway.”

The husband and wife were all stunned upon this explanation.

Shen Bukuai said, “What adoption? Your mother is still young and still can give birth.”

Zhu Erniang blushed and snorted. “Don’t talk nonsense in front of the child.”

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The ox cart creaked all the way into the city. The day was nearing its end, the scarlet gold sunlight was gently pouring on the land, and everyone was basked with a layer of light. There was still quite a distance from the city gate to their home. Shen Bukuai was worried that both mother and daughter would be hungry, so he stopped the cart and bought a few pastries on the side of the road to eat. The pastries made of white flour and brown sugar were sprinkled with some sesame seeds and melon seeds. They couldn’t really be called fine nor delicate, but they were fragrant and sweet. Shen Jiajia lazily leaned on her mother while eating the pastry, and after eating two cakes, they arrived home.

Zhu Erniang’s mood had already improved, with a smile she said, “I don’t need to be on duty tonight. What do you want to eat? Mother will make it for you.”

“Mother, I love to eat whatever you cook, I’ll help you.”

“No need, your father will help me, you go back to your room to rest.”

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Shen Jiajia took Xie Chengfeng back to her room.

This was the first time Xie Chengfeng entered a girl’s boudoir. It wasn’t good for him to look around, so he lowered his head.

Shen Jiajia broke off a small piece of pastry and handed it to him. “Are you hungry?”

Xie Chengfeng lowered his head to peck the melon seeds on the pastry, and commented while eating, “Too much sugar and a little greasy.”

Shen Jiajia turned around and took a jar from the shelf. She grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds from it and put them on the table, “Try this one, it’s raw.”

Xie Chengfeng looked down at the seeds complete with their shells, a little dissatisfied. “How can I eat if you don’t peel it for me.”

Shen Jiajia had no choice but to crack open the shell and get the sunflower seeds out for him.

Xie Chengfeng turned his head in disgust. “It got into contact with your saliva, I’m not eating it.”

Shen Jiajia felt a little annoyed and grimaced. “Whether you eat it or not, I’m not your servant girl.”

Xie Chengfeng was somewhat unprepared to hear this response. “Are you dog-faced, you change your mind so easily.[4]”

She ignored him.

Xie Chengfeng pretended to look around while secretly observing her face. When he saw some books on the shelf, he started a conversation by asking, “What kind of books do you usually read?”

At this moment, a weeping sound suddenly came from Shen Jiajia’s parents’ room.

Shen Jiajia hurriedly got up and ran out, Xie Chengfeng jumped from the table to the chair, then from the chair to the ground, and then followed with his two short legs.

Shen Jiajia rushed into the room and saw her mother kneeling on the ground with a box in front of her. The box was open, and the inside looked a bit messy after being rummaged around.

Shen Bukuai was trying to help her up, and softly said, “Get up first, the ground is cold.”

Shen Jiajia also quickly stepped up to support her mother and asked, “What’s going on?”

Zhu Erniang looked at her tearfully. “Sanniang, the dowry… the dowry was all stolen!”

[1] Lit. Seven(th) Minister/Official.

[2] Father’s younger brother’s wife—the second uncle’s wife.

[3] Presumably Sanniang’s maternal aunt.

[4] dog face = fickle person.

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