jdhmnovel Chapter 39 Qingming Festival
Chapter 39 Qingming Festival
Lin Zhong and Steward Tao were not home for the past two days. After Lin Ziping returned, he told Granny Liao and Xiao Fuzi about the appointment for tomorrow.
"Young Master, tomorrow is Qingming Festival, it's not a good day to go out," said Granny Liao, frowning.
Is it wrong to meet up during Qingming Festival? It used to be normal to go shopping or have fun during holidays.
Lin Ziping looked at Granny Liao innocently.
Granny Liao sighed, "Master will be back at noon. Come back earlier tomorrow and don't linger too long playing around."
"Yes, Granny." Lin Ziping shook Granny Liao's hand.
Remembering that Xiao Fuzi said he was from Chunhualou, she said, "Granny, Xiao Fuzi is from Chunhualou. Prepare some food for me to bring to him tomorrow."
"Chunhua Pavilion?" Granny Liao frowned. "Young Master, how do you know people from Chunhua Pavilion?"
“It was during the Lantern Festival last time that we were all…” Lin Ziping explained to Granny Liao. Seeing Granny Liao’s unpleasant expression, he couldn’t help but add, “He was the one who untied our ropes last time, which gave us a chance to escape.”
Granny Liao looked somewhat relieved: "This servant will go prepare some snacks for the young master to take tomorrow. Homemade snacks are the best choice."
She gently tapped Lin Ziping's head and pulled his arm away from hers: "Zhu Zi will be there tomorrow too, let him go with you."
Lin Ziping wanted to say something, but after glancing at Granny Liao, he swallowed hard and shut his mouth. Logically speaking, since Lin Zhong wasn't there, he was the most important person in the entire Lin family. Why was he inexplicably afraid of Granny Liao?
The following day was Qingming Festival.
Suitable for cleaning, offering sacrifices, seeking medical treatment, and treating illnesses; other matters should be avoided.
Avoid all activities.
The weather was a bit gloomy today, but it didn't rain, and there were few pedestrians on the streets.
A small river flows through the middle of Changliu Street, and the bridge is a common ancient arched bridge, about 5 or 6 meters long, connecting the east and west sides of Changliu Street.
Lin Ziping, accompanied by Zhu Zi and carrying a box of pastries prepared by Granny Liao, arrived at the place where he had arranged to meet Xiao Fuzi.
From afar, you can see Xiao Fuzi leaning against a pillar at the bridgehead, talking to someone next to her.
Lin Ziping waved his hand, not knowing if Xiao Fuzi saw it, and quickened his pace toward the bridgehead.
Today, Xiao Fuzi was dressed in dark red, with auspicious patterns embroidered on her clothes, which made her look very festive.
The person he was talking to was a little taller than Xiao Fuzi, but he was somewhat hunchbacked, looked rather thin, and had a sallow complexion. He was wearing a bright green dress without any embroidery. Lin Ziping couldn't tell what kind of fabric it was, but he thought it looked quite nice.
Lin Ziping felt somewhat ashamed. Despite knowing so many people in this era, he hadn't developed a discerning eye. He couldn't distinguish between children and teenagers, or young adults and middle-aged people. The only people he could accurately identify were the elderly and infants. He felt a strange sense of helplessness, like visiting relatives during the Lunar New Year and not knowing whether to call them "aunt" or "auntie," or "uncle" or "elder brother."
"Little Fuzi, when did you arrive?" Lin Ziping pulled himself out of his thoughts and smiled. "And who is this young man?"
"I just arrived too. This is my older brother, his name is Xiaochunzi." Xiaofuzi moved off the bridge pillar, patted the dirt off his clothes, and introduced him to Lin Ziping.
Xiaochunzi and Xiaofuzi, are these stage names? They're the same as Linda and CC in the company.
Lin Ziping was a little unsure how to greet Xiao Chunzi. Saying "Hello, Xiao Chunzi" felt strange, and saying "Hi, hello" wouldn't be understood by the others.
No one can understand the inner turmoil she felt.
Xiao Chunzi looked Lin Ziping up and down, then glanced at the pillar and said, "Thank you, Young Master Ziping, for your help to my younger brother."
"No, you're welcome." Lin Ziping felt Xiao Chunzi's scrutinizing gaze and stammered for some reason. He took the pastry box from Zhu Zi's hand and handed it to Xiao Fuzi without thinking. "These are pastries made at home. Please try them."
After saying that, he scratched his head and smiled a little sheepishly.
Xiao Fuzi looked at Xiao Chunzi, who nodded. Xiao Fuzi then curtsied and said, "Thank you, Young Master Ziping."
The group looked at each other in silence, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
After a long silence, Xiaochunzi broke the silence: "If there's nothing else, then..."
Xiao Fuzi tugged at Xiao Chunzi's sleeve. Xiao Chunzi paused for a moment, then continued, "If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave."
Lin Ziping felt a pang of sadness. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed his words. He bowed to Xiaochunzi and Xiaofuzi and reorganized his thoughts: "Last time, I was deeply grateful for Xiaofuzi's help."
Xiao Chunzi shook his head: "Young Master Ziping, there's no need for that. Farewell."
After saying that, Xiaochunzi pulled Xiaofuzi away.
As Lin Ziping watched their retreating figures, he suddenly recalled Lu Xun's description of Runtu after he met him as an adult, calling him "Master."
Perhaps there are some differences as well. He was delighted to meet Xiao Fuzi, but harbored a slight wariness about Xiao Fuzi's identity, unconsciously displaying a hint of disdain and arrogance in their interactions. Regardless of outward appearance, he was still an adult at heart, and his interactions with others lacked the purity of a child, showing more self-interest and a touch of snobbery.
"Young Master." Zhu Zi stepped forward and saw that Lin Ziping's expression was a little unpleasant, so he couldn't help but feel worried.
"It's alright," Lin Ziping said. "Let's go back."
If you don't have sincerity, what right do you have to expect others to give you sincerity?
"Xiao Chunzi, is it really like that?" Xiao Fuzi stopped at the street corner, holding the box Lin Ziping had given her, looking somewhat dejected. "He took good care of me in the cave; he even bandaged my wound and gave me chestnuts..."
"Are you stupid? What are our identities? What are his identities? Even if his uncle is... there's a world of difference between him and us." Xiao Chunzi crossed her arms and looked at Xiao Fuzi, interrupting him. "Besides, do you think he'd still act the same way if he knew what you did?"
Xiao Fuzi gradually closed up her arms, which were holding the snacks.
“Look at his servants, they’re all dressed better than us. How can you be sure that this young master Ziping isn’t just treating us like toys, like the other young masters who came from the building?” Xiaochunzi continued, “Let me see what he gave us.”
Xiao Chunzi was about to open the box in Xiao Fuzi's hand when Xiao Fuzi stepped aside, saying, "Let me do it."
Xiao Fuzi squatted down, placed the box on her knees, wiped her hands on her clothes a few times, and carefully opened it.
"Silver?" Xiaochunzi saw the purse in the box, quickly grabbed it and opened it. "Your injured hand and the nearly fatal whipping you got back are worth this purse of silver and some snacks."
After saying that, he tied the purse and tossed it to Xiao Fuzi: "But it's worth it. Our lives aren't worth this much money."
Xiaochunzi ignored Xiaofuzi who was squatting down and turned away.
After a while, Xiao Fuzi put the lids back on the pastries, put away her purse, and got up to leave.
At noon, Lin Zhong returned and, as usual, had a meal with Lin Ziping. Just like on the first day of the lunar month, Lin Ziping led everyone in the Lin family to bow to the blank nameplate, facing east and praying to heaven and earth.
The Lin family members in Qingyang were like rootless duckweed, with no graves to visit in person for worship, unlike the F3 in South China who had to go up mountains and down rivers to perform the "Where is Grandfather?" search for their ancestor in the wilderness.
Lin Ziping was in low spirits and looked rather listless. He didn't pay much attention to the sacrificial ceremony at the Lin residence and just wanted to go through the motions before returning to his own courtyard to lie down.
However, he was told that Ji Xun had sent a visiting card and would be visiting the Lin residence the next day, and that Lin Ziping should make good preparations.