Chapter 113 Buns: Will you marry Bo Ge?

Chapter 113: Buns: Whether to Marry Bo Ge

Tian Qin dragged her bruised and swollen knees back to the thatched cottage, took a deep breath to compose herself, and as if nothing was wrong, pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Bo Ge was leading Zhaolu and Wan Cui in making steamed buns, while Nanny Chen was preparing dinner. When they saw Tian Qin return, everyone cast their gazes upon her.

Tian Qin forced a smile and took out the silver from her bosom: "I sold the bamboo-and-bone umbrella today for a good price."

The meeting with Xian Qiu had been truly humiliating; she had gained no money nor any advantage, so she hid the truth to spare Nanny Chen and the others from worry.

Nanny Chen dusted the flour off her apron, delighted: "Wonderful, Miss. Put it away quickly. The more we save, the more we have. Buy yourself something nice."

Bo Ge came over to look and was stunned: "So much silver! How did you get so much? How are we going to spend it all?"

The silvery gleam lit up everyone's faces. For an impoverished family, it was an enormous windfall.

Nanny Chen took some money and bought an extra fish and a few small dishes to improve everyone's meal.

Bo Ge's leg had healed a bit, so he used a crutch to dig out a jar of coarse wine from under the locust tree—it had been buried last year. The wine was sharp but full-bodied. Wan Cui laughed, "After so many days here, we finally get a full meal."

Zhaolu teased, "You little glutton."

Everyone happily ate their meal, moving a low table into the open courtyard. Above them, the sky was thick with stars, insects chirped, and a cool summer breeze blew. They drank and talked merrily, the table soon a mess of dishes.

Bo Ge's gaze kept lingering on Tian Qin; he served her food and poured her wine, careful and fawning. Tian Qin's cheeks flushed from the wine, and sitting under the tangled shadows of the summer night trees, her slender shoulders and delicate neck made hearts skip a beat.

Nanny Chen deliberately gave Bo Ge and Tian Qin some time alone. After the meal, she led Zhaolu and Wan Cui out to catch cicadas to fry.

Bo Ge, seeing that only he and Miss Tian were left, grew tense. He grinned, showing his teeth, and downed the remaining half cup of wine: "Miss Tian, you don't have to go to the river to wash clothes anymore. My leg is better; tomorrow I'll go sell buns on the street. I can support this family."

The corners of Tian Qin's eyes still held the drunken haze of the wine. She leaned feebly against the table, as if reflecting a sickly glow, drunk with sorrow. Outwardly she seemed brave and perfect, but inside she was full of wounds, her legs and waist and elbows bruised and aching, a heart-wrenching grief.

"It's fine—" she slurred, her tongue numbed by the alcohol, "I'll just stay home anyway."

It was only washing a few clothes by the river—self-reliance.

Bo Ge's heart raced. He spoke earnestly, as if making a vow: "A celestial beauty like you should be enshrined."

Tian Qin's beautiful, clear voice chided softly, "I'm not a clay bodhisattva. Why would you enshrine me?"

Bo Ge said solemnly, as if swearing an oath: "I will treat you well. I won't let you suffer the slightest hardship."

In the darkness, Tian Qin curved her lips in a smile but didn't take up the topic. Bo Ge wanted to marry her, but she had just escaped the clutches of the Xie family and wasn't ready to embrace another relationship yet. She was fine being alone for now, wanting to enjoy this kind of life for a while longer. If she were to marry, it would have to wait at least half a year or a year.

The next day, Tian Qin still went to wash clothes.

Zhaolu and Nanny Chen made buns and prepared meals at home, while Wan Cui accompanied the limping Bo Ge out to sell buns.

They still worked hard, each doing their part, but their situation was much better than when they first arrived, and they had more confidence. First, Bo Ge's leg had healed, so the family's pillar was back. Second, Tian Qin had brought in a good amount of money, enough to tide them over.

Nanny Chen had originally planned to send Wan Cui to wash clothes and have Tian Qin go sell buns with Bo Ge to foster feelings. But Tian Qin didn't want to appear in public and deal with people; her heart still bore scars, so she preferred to silently pound clothes by the river.

Nanny Chen secretly worried—it seemed Tian Qin probably wasn't interested in Bo Ge. After all, Tian Qin's previous man had been too outstanding; she was bound to have high standards.

But times were different now. The Lord had abandoned her. Tian Qin would soon realize that a handsome man couldn't provide her with warmth and shelter; Bo Ge was her best choice.

Matters of the heart should take time, but Bo Ge was already getting older—others his age had children running around. He couldn't afford to wait; the marriage had to be settled soon. Only then could the business thrive.

Nanny Chen was anxious inside, but she was powerless.

Tian Qin wasn't her ordinary junior. In the old days, Tian Qin had been her mistress; Nanny Chen couldn't demand things of her like a mother-in-law.

By the river, Tian Qin pulled her chapped, swollen hands from the water and rubbed her joints. Today had been fairly lucky—she had finished the clothes early, and the other washerwomen hadn't given her much trouble.

She looked at her reflection in the water—drab and gray, coarse and down-and-out from the inside out, like a fallen pearl turned to a rough stone.

Clutching the twenty wen in wages, Tian Qin passed by a bun shop. After some hesitation, she bought herself half a steamer basket of meat buns and a bowl of plain noodles, costing ten wen total. The warmth in her stomach was a small comfort that sustained her through a hard day's work. The roadside stall was grimy; steam from the steamer baskets blew in with the wind, stinging her nose and throat.

Tian Qin was so tired, so sleepy, wanting nothing more than to sleep. But this was a bun shop; she couldn't sleep here. She had to hold on and go home. In this life, every copper coin was her own—reliable, but truly exhausting.

Lost in thought, she heard someone call her from afar. Turning back, she saw it was Bo Ge. He had sold all his buns and came looking for her to walk home together.

Tian Qin responded, "Want another basket of buns? Sit down and eat?"

Bo Ge scratched his head awkwardly: "No, too expensive. Half a day's work wasted."

But he sat down anyway, picked up the bowl, and wolfed down the leftover noodle soup from Tian Qin's bowl. Tian Qin watched his rough eating manners—he was a straightforward guy. She offered to order him another bowl, but Bo Ge smiled and said, "Really, no need. Save the money for something better."

Then he mysteriously pulled a small box from his bosom and nervously slid it over to Tian Qin. Puzzled, Tian Qin lifted the lid. A rich floral fragrance wafted out—it was a hand cream made from fresh flowers, best for treating chilblains, costing twenty wen for a small box. Bo Ge had saved up for three days to buy it. "Miss Tian, try it."

Skeptically, Tian Qin applied a bit to the back of her hand. It stung at first, then it felt like a film formed over her skin.

"So fragrant." She lowered her head and sniffed deeply. "Hey, there's even gardenia scent. You really know how to choose."

"I'm glad you like it!" Bo Ge was happier than anything.

Tian Qin weighed the small box in her hand, considering: "I'll have to use it sparingly. A little scrape takes so much off."

Bo Ge immediately said, "No need to skimp. We can afford this. If you like it, I'll buy it for you often. It's just a matter of making a few more buns."

Back in the day, Tian Qin's hand lotion came from Western ships, costing ten thousand gold a box, keeping her fingers slender and fair as scallion shoots. But now she did rough work every day; her old conditions were gone. The money she earned from dawn to dusk went to basic necessities. If not for Bo Ge's gift, she would never willingly waste money on hand cream.

"Thank you, Bo Ge."

Bo Ge blushed crimson at her compliment, his face flushing as if bleeding, stammering for a long time. Tian Qin just smiled and tucked the hand cream into her bosom. Tomorrow when she pounded clothes, her hands would get some relief.

Bo Ge stared into the night, watching the luxurious carriages speeding down the street, muttering to himself, "Making buns has too little profit. Bowing and scraping doesn't earn much. I want to learn another trade or do some other business."

Buying a house in the capital was a huge burden; selling buns would never save enough. They couldn't live in that dilapidated thatched cottage forever. He had to have a decent house if he wanted to continue with Tian Qin.

Before, he'd been a bachelor with a worthless life; it didn't matter where he lived. Now with Tian Qin, everything was different.

Tian Qin listened quietly. She knew nothing about buying houses or renting land, but if there was a way, she was willing to help.

Bo Ge continued, "I heard there's Jiulongpan and lingzhi growing in the mountains. Selling just one would be worth a fortune. I planned to go pick them, but with my leg..."

"Absolutely not." Tian Qin interrupted him severely before he could finish. "If something happens to you, it'll cause even more trouble for Nanny Chen and the others. This family would be finished."

Bo Ge was startled by her fierceness and quickly said, "I was just talking. My bad leg wouldn't let me go anyway. Don't worry, Miss Tian."

Tian Qin said, "There are plenty of ways to make money. You don't have to risk your life."

If worst came to worst, they could stay in the thatched cottage. At least everyone would be safe and sound.

Bo Ge didn't dare bring up the topic again and anger Tian Qin. As night fell and the weather grew cold, he shouldered his load and headed home with Tian Qin.

Nanny Chen had been waiting at the door early. When she saw them returning together, she was overjoyed. That boy Bo Ge had finally wised up.

Wan Cui, knowingly, complained, "Bo Ge only has eyes for Miss. Obviously I went to sell buns with him, but he sent me back first."

Nanny Chen teased, “One of these days, I’ll invite a matchmaker to find you a good family too.”

“Bah, Nanny, you’re talking nonsense.” Wan Cui blushed.

Tian Qin had already eaten outside and was very tired, so she went straight to her room to rest.

Bo Ge and Nanny Chen sat down to eat. Nanny Chen asked quietly, “How did you come back together with Miss tonight? You didn’t say anything indecent to offend her, did you?”

Bo Ge said innocently, “Mother, how would I dare?”

“Be generous when spending money on Miss, don’t be stingy.” Nanny Chen said as she served Bo Ge food, reminding him, “You have to throw money at a girl to win her over. You don’t know how much the Lord spent on Tian Qin. She’s seen the world.”

“Did you buy the hand cream I told you to? Did you give it to Miss? Was she happy?”

Bo Ge’s mouth was full of rice, and he grinned like a fool: “She was happy. Miss Tian really liked it.”

Nanny Chen sighed in relief: “That’s good. Seeing her hands chapped from washing breaks my heart.”

Bo Ge felt deep down that he wasn’t worthy of Tian Qin. Just being able to look at her was enough. Every smile she gave him was an extra blessing. He had to save money quickly to buy a house. But other than risking his life for money, how else could he give Tian Qin a good life?

Inside the thatched hut, Tian Qin put the money she had earned that day into her little stash, counting it over and over. Although the day had been exhausting, she had something to show for her efforts, and life was becoming more promising.

Should she really marry Bo Ge?

She was numb to the question, neither resistant nor longing.

Having endured two lifetimes of suffering in that ruthless manor that chewed people up without a second thought, her ability to love had been extinguished. Except for that one person, she could accept being with anyone, but being alone was even better.

Now, living under someone else’s roof, she couldn’t help but consider elderly Nanny Chen’s feelings and repay Bo Ge’s kind intentions.

Regardless, she should sleep first. She was tired after a long day. Tian Qin lay down contentedly, hugging the money. In her dream, the aroma of buns seemed to waft around, comfortable and warm, warming her from head to toe. Tomorrow, she would wash a few more pieces of clothing—maybe she’d even eat buns again.