Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Why is there a man in your room?

Hearing that, Huo Zheng paused. [The fewer people who know I’m here healing, the better. If outsiders find out, trouble will come.]

Seeing him waver, Chun Zhi spoke again and said: “Think about it. I’ll keep looking too. If I had any other choice, I wouldn’t want a fake marriage with you.”

She lowered her head, finished her bowl of soup, and went back to her room to keep sewing clothes.

Huo Zheng sat alone at the Eight Immortals table and finished his second bowl. The soup really was delicious. He remembered what she had said earlier: “I can cook for you, take care of you, and support you…” [I’ve never met a young lady who wanted to support me. It’s annoying and funny at the same time. Maybe a fake marriage isn’t completely impossible.]

Before dawn the next day, Chun Zhi got up as usual to make tofu.

The man’s door was still closed. It was dark inside. He clearly had not gotten up.

She left a bowl of soy milk and an egg pancake for Huo Qi, then went out to sell tofu.

The yamen runners had come yesterday about her being over eighteen and unmarried. Half of Linshui Town knew by now. When she set up her stall, many customers dragged along unmarried sons and nephews for her to look at.

One after another praised her for being capable and pretty.

The men brought to meet her stared the moment they saw her and could hardly speak.

Chun Zhi weighed tofu, wrapped it, took the money, and still found moments to glance at the men in front of her. The morning flew by in a rush.

Next door, Auntie Li came with her fisherman nephew and lined up too, letting Chun Zhi take a look while buying a block of tofu.

After waiting a long time, Auntie Li finally reached the front and said quickly to Chun Zhi: “Chun Zhi, this is my nephew Li Jun. See how tall and strong he is? He’s just too honest and a bit tongue-tied. He gets shy and can’t talk when he sees a young lady…”

Li Jun was tall and sturdy, his skin a little dark. He blushed when he saw Chun Zhi and stammered as he said: “M… Miss Chun Zhi, hello. My aunt always talks about you… and says you’re a very good young lady.”

Chun Zhi thanked her and said: “Thank you for the praise, Auntie Li. Here is one jin of tofu. Please hold it steady.”

She wrapped it neatly in a lotus leaf, tied it with string, and handed it to Auntie Li.

Li Jun was not like Gentryman Zhou or Young Master Chu and the other rich men. He looked honest and quiet. His clothes were a bit worn, but very clean.

Chun Zhi wanted someone steady to live a simple life with. She felt Li Jun was better for her than a rich man or a scholar.

She told Auntie Li that the stall was busy now and they could talk more at home later.

Hearing that, Auntie Li felt there was hope. She took the tofu and said happily as she moved aside with Li Jun: “You keep busy, Chun Zhi. I’ll take Li Jun home and wait for you.”

Chun Zhi agreed and kept working, chatting a little with customers as she sold. As usual, the tofu sold out before noon.

She packed up and got ready to push her cart home.

The pancake-seller next door, Auntie Zhang, slipped her a few pancakes and said: “Take these home to eat.”

Chun Zhi could not refuse and said: “Thank you, Auntie Zhang.”

“What’s there to thank? We’ve set up stalls together for so many years,” Auntie Zhang said, a little sad. “If you marry, I don’t know if you’ll still sell tofu here.”

Chun Zhi smiled and said: “Even if I marry, I’ll still be in Linshui Town. We’ll see each other plenty.”

Auntie Zhang looked at her with pity. She had a daughter the same age who had married far away two years ago. Knowing Chun Zhi had no parents, she took special care of her. Now that the Magistrate’s Office was pressuring her to marry within three days, Auntie Zhang felt heartache and said: “Chun Zhi, don’t choose in a panic. In times like this you must pick someone good. That Li Household boy really isn’t worthy of you…”

The Li Household boy could not be compared to the Top Scholar. He could not even compare with Gentryman Zhou or Young Master Chu.

Chun Zhi said: “Thank you for the warning, Auntie Zhang. I understand.”

She pushed her cart home.

The soy milk and egg pancake she had left for Huo Qi were gone, so he must have gotten up and eaten.

The door of his room was half open. Chun Zhi looked in. Huo Qi’s clothes were half off, and he was struggling to put medicine on the wound on his back.

She knocked three times and asked: “Do you need help?”

Huo Zheng looked back at her and said: “Come here.”

He still spoke like he was used to giving orders.

“Wait a moment,” Chun Zhi said.

She did not go right away but washed her hands first and dried them with a cloth. Then she went in, stood in front of Huo Zheng, and helped him.

The wound had scabbed, but it still looked shocking. Chun Zhi changed the medicine, wrapped it again, helped him put on his clothes, and straightened his collar.

Watching her skilled hands, Huo Zheng suddenly asked: “Did you take care of the Top Scholar like this before?”

Chun Zhi paused and said: “What does that have to do with you?”

He said: “Aren’t you asking me to fake marry you? How is it not related?”

“You won’t agree anyway,” she said as she walked out.

Just then, Auntie Li arrived with Li Jun.

Chun Zhi stood by the door, turned back, and told Huo Qi: “Guests are here. Stay inside and don’t come out.”

Huo Zheng wanted to say more, but Chun Zhi had already gone to greet them and said: “Auntie Li, Brother Li.”

Auntie Li carried two paper packets and said: “I brought you some honeysuckle tea I dried myself. It clears heat. And I made lotus cakes.”

“You’re too kind, Auntie Li. Please sit,” Chun Zhi said.

She led them to the Eight Immortals table, made a pot of tea, and filled both cups.

Li Jun held his cup and kept sneaking looks at Chun Zhi, too shy to let his eyes rest on her face.

Auntie Li said to Chun Zhi: “My nephew is a real, honest man. He liked you at first sight. His family has eight rooms, and the betrothal gifts can be thirty taels!”

For common folk, thirty taels was a lot, so Auntie Li sat up very straight as she spoke.

She went on: “He should have married long ago, but his father died five years ago and his mother three years ago, so things got delayed. Oh, there’s a sister already married, and a younger brother who studies and lives at the academy. If you marry in, you’ll be the one in charge at home…”

Li Jun hardly spoke the whole time.

Auntie Li praised Chun Zhi and praised Li Jun without stopping from the moment she came in. At last she asked with a smile: “I’ve said all I should. What do you think, Chun Zhi? One word from you.”

Chun Zhi felt Li Jun was pretty good. She thought that if Huo Qi would not agree to a fake marriage, teaming up with Li Jun for a steady life would also be fine.

The word “okay” had reached her lips. Just as she was about to say it, Huo Zheng suddenly rolled out of the room in his wheelchair.

Auntie Li stood up at once, shocked, and asked: “Chun Zhi, why is there a man in your room?”