SLH | Chapter 64

Uncle and Nephew Reunion

Ruan Xiulian said, “In these ten miles and eight villages, even divorce is rarely seen, let alone a separation. Is Meng Yinhua really going to separate from Qian Youliang? Isn’t she afraid of people gossiping behind her back?”

Liu Xiaomei replied, “It’s true. Because of this, Old Master Qian won’t let Shuang’er Jie go out anymore. He said he wants to find a family far away to marry her off.”

Ruan Xiulian frowned, “What do matters between adults have to do with children? Using kids as threats, that’s not how a father should behave.”

The whole family found the idea of separation unbelievable, but Liu Hu said, “Separation is the right choice. Aunt Meng has been beaten by Old Master Qian for years. If she continues, she might lose her life.”

“That’s true, but separation isn’t that easy. When it happens, Meng Yinhua will definitely take Shuang girl with her. Qian Youliang is waiting to sell her for money, so how could he easily let them go?”

Ruan Xiulian believed it wouldn’t happen and life would go on as usual.

After dinner, the family went back to their rooms.

In the west room, Liu Hu squatted by the bed and asked, “Is the water too hot?”

“It’s not too hot. The tub is big enough, come soak with me, husband.”

Liu Hu didn’t refuse. He took off his shoes and put his calloused feet next to his wife’s.

Song Tingzhu stepped on the man’s feet and glanced at him sideways.

“Do you really think Aunt Meng should separate?”

“Of course.” Liu Hu pulled his wife’s hand, “Your nails are a bit long. I’ll trim them for you later.”

Song Tingzhu smiled, “Then I’ll trouble you, husband.”

They had a good night’s sleep.

The next morning, smoke rose from the Liu family kitchen, and after breakfast, Song Tingzhu and his husband took wine to the town, while Liu Meng went with the two uncles from the Ruan family to sell wine in another town.

Upon entering the town, Song Tingzhu said to his husband, “We’ve already asked several taverns and eateries on North Street. Let’s try West Street today.”

Liu Hu agreed, “Alright.”

The couple pulled the cart towards West Street.

There were three shops selling alcohol on West Street, but after asking around, none of them wanted the strong liquor. However, they did order dozens of jin of clear wine.

“Brother Liu, there’s a newly opened wine shop in the alley. You might want to check it out,” the restaurant owner reminded them before they left.

They thanked the owner and decided to take a look in the alley.

There was indeed a wine shop, but it was deserted, and business was terrible.

Song Tingzhu was puzzled. This alley was one of the more bustling areas on West Street. Even a new shop shouldn’t be so empty.

“Husband, let’s take a look.”

Inside Wanshun Building, not a single table was occupied. The staff were listless, either leaning against the doorpost daydreaming or napping in the corner. No one noticed when guests arrived until Liu Hu knocked on the door, making a sound, which startled the two staff members into awareness.

“Welcome, welcome. What would you like to eat? Here at Wanshun Building, we have a full menu of excellent food and drink. If you’re not satisfied, feel free to let me know.”

Song Tingzhu wanted to know the reason, so he discussed with his husband and ordered two signature dishes and a pot of good wine.

After the food and wine were served, Song Tingzhu tried each dish and then said to the man beside him, “The dishes are good, but the wine is a bit average.”

Liu Hu agreed, “The prices are reasonable too.”

That was strange. Song Tingzhu called over a staff member to inquire.

“You might not know, but this Wanshun Building used to be called Baihua Building, where the girls performed but didn’t sell themselves. Later, the owner moved away and let the girls go. Our boss bought the place a few months ago and renamed it Wanshun Building, but people think the reputation is bad and don’t want to come here.”

So that’s the reason.

Song Tingzhu asked, “But I’ve never heard of a Baihua Building in town.”

Liu Hu said, “There was one, but it was empty for a long time. I thought the owner was keeping it on purpose, but it turned out no one wanted to take it over.”

“That’s right. Your husband doesn’t look like a local, so you wouldn’t know. The original owner never sold the place. Our boss thought he got a great deal, but it turned out to be a hot potato. Now, even if he wanted to sell it, no one would take it. The boss is so worried he can’t eat.”

“Waiter, order, please.”

As they spoke, a second table of guests finally arrived, and the staff hurriedly greeted them with a smile.

Liu Hu poured tea and asked, “Should we still meet the boss?”

Song Tingzhu glanced at the two men who came to drink, “We should. Liu Ji’s liquor is quite famous in town. There are still a few places that buy the clear wine, but only Four Seasons Tavern serves the strong liquor, and it’s priced too high. Even some well-off families can’t afford to drink it regularly, let alone ordinary folks. And since Wanshun Building’s business isn’t doing well, if Liu Ji’s liquor helps, it could attract more customers.”

Most taverns in town are in cahoots, except for the Dou and Pan families with backing. Almost no one dares to take his strong liquor, so he sought out someone equally marginalized to collaborate with, thus only needing to deal with Wanshun Building.

Liu Hu called over a staff member.

“Any instructions, sir?”

“Please call your boss. We have a business proposal to discuss.”

The staff didn’t know these two were the owners of the popular Liu Ji liquor in town and muttered to himself as he went to the back hall.

Instead, the two men drinking recognized them and loudly said, “Aren’t you the owners of Liu Ji liquor? Are you planning to work with Wanshun Building?”

Another chimed in, “Does that mean we can drink Liu Ji liquor at Wanshun Building in the future?”

Facing the two drunk men, Song Tingzhu didn’t respond, leaving Liu Hu to handle it.

“We’re thinking about it. If it works out, please support the business.”

“Even if you didn’t say so, we’d still come. You don’t know, Liu Ji’s liquor has been selling like crazy at Wang’s and Xiao’s shops. They even started limiting it yesterday, allowing only two liang per person!”

“Yeah, that little bit isn’t enough for us to even wet our teeth!”

The clear wine was selling so well, which surprised Song Tingzhu. For those who don’t drink, it might taste similar to other wines, but for those who do, the difference is significant.

Song Tingzhu doesn’t drink, struggling to finish half a cup of spicy wine, but he can drink one or two cups of sweet wine. So he thought the clear wine wouldn’t sell so fast and only made about a hundred jin.

Looks like they’ll have to brew more in the future. Although it doesn’t earn as much as strong liquor, with enough volume, it’s still a decent income.

Soon, the staff and the shopkeeper came out.

“Shopkeeper, these two guests want to…”

Before he could finish, the shopkeeper, with teary eyes, choked up and called out, “Huzi?”

Liu Hu was stunned, “Do you know me?”

The shopkeeper’s voice trembled, “Is your father named Liu Dasheng?”

“Yes, my father’s name is Liu Dasheng.”

Song Tingzhu whispered, “Husband, this person looks a bit like father.”

Liu Hu noticed it too, but he didn’t remember having such a relative.

“Huzi, I’m your third uncle.” Liu Sansheng wiped his eyes, his body trembling.

The staff quickly supported him, “Shopkeeper, are you alright?”

Liu Sansheng waved him off, “Let’s go to the back room and talk.”

Moments later, the couple sat in the back hall, listening to Liu Sansheng recount the events of the past years.

“When I was young and hot-headed, I had just fallen out with the elders and wanted to make a name for myself, hoping they’d regret it.”

But business wasn’t easy, especially in the county. Liu Sansheng had nothing and barely survived doing hard labor.

After saving some money, he hastily partnered with someone to start a business, but he couldn’t read, and by the time he realized he’d been cheated, it was too late.

Liu Sansheng recalled, “Not only was my money gone, but I also owed over twenty liang of silver. I had no face to return home. If it weren’t for my father-in-law’s pity, taking me in as a laborer, I might have frozen to death in the streets.”

“But a few years later, my father-in-law fell ill and passed away. Before he died, he entrusted Qiurong and the shop to me. I planned to return home with my wife and children after the mourning period, but the Wei family turned out to be heartless. They ignored my father-in-law’s last wishes, not only kicking us out but also falsely accusing me of poisoning him.”

Liu Sansheng sighed, “Thankfully, Qiurong spoke up for me, so I wasn’t sentenced to death. But the Wei family insisted I poisoned him, and with family matters hard for officials to judge, to appease their anger, I was sentenced to three years in prison.”

“Wangshun, I heard your nephew is here?”

A woman’s voice came from the back courtyard, and Song Tingzhu turned to see a beautiful woman leading a boy of about eleven or twelve, lifting the curtain and entering the hall.

Facing his wife and child, Liu Sansheng smiled and introduced them, “Huzi, Zhu Ge’er, this is your third aunt. This is my younger son, Liu Qing, Qing Ge’er.”

“Qing Ge’er, this is your eldest uncle’s second cousin and his husband.”

Liu Qing politely greeted them and then curiously looked at Song Tingzhu.

“Third Aunt.”

“Yes.” Wei Qiurong replied with a smile, “You two really do look alike, especially the eyebrows.”

Then she turned to Song Tingzhu, “This must be the nephew’s husband.”

Song Tingzhu nodded and greeted, “Third Aunt.”

Then Liu Qing murmured, “Mom, the husband’s really good-looking.”

Wei Qiurong laughed, “This child.”

Liu Sansheng chuckled, “Our Qing Ge’er isn’t wrong. I left when Huzi was too young to recognize people. I didn’t expect him to be married with children now.”

He then called for the staff to bring some good food and wine, saying that he and his nephew would drink to their heart’s content today.

Liu Hu picked up a wine jar and placed it on the table, “Third Uncle, try the wine my husband and I brought.”

“Oh? You brought wine?” Liu Sansheng took the jar, sniffed the aroma, and his eyes lit up, “I heard from the staff you wanted to talk business with me. Is it about this wine?”

Liu Hu said, “We were thinking of doing business with the owner of Wanshun Building, not realizing it was you and Third Aunt behind it.”

As they spoke, the food arrived, and Liu Sansheng invited them to sit and eat while chatting.

The uncle and nephew drank happily, while Song Tingzhu, who didn’t like alcohol, poured tea for himself and Third Aunt, and they spoke softly about the past.

“Those years your third uncle was in prison were the hardest for our family, but I never thought of leaving him because he’s a good man, loyal and righteous. Even if it were five or ten years, I’d wait for him.”

Song Tingzhu said, “Since you and Third Uncle returned to Lianxi Town, why not return to the village? Father and mother have always missed Third Uncle, even setting an extra place at the table during festivals.”

Wei Qiurong smiled wryly, “Your third uncle didn’t want to burden the family. We owed a lot of money to smooth things over. After getting out of prison, he worked hard, repaid the debt in five years, saved a small amount, and sold our house in the county. That’s how we could buy Wanshun Building at a low price.”

Liu Qing bowed his head, feeling sorry, “Dad works so hard he’s asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. His shoulder wounds heal and break again, and his clothes are so worn they’re beyond repair.”

Wei Qiurong gently stroked her son’s hair, full of love, “Thankfully, those hard days are over. Now, our family of three can run this shop. Even if we don’t earn much, we won’t starve.”

Song Tingzhu reassured, “Third Aunt, don’t worry. Tingzhu and my husband will help make the shop lively again.”

Wei Qiurong smiled, “I’m not well-versed in business, but if you really have ideas, I’ll thank you on behalf of your third uncle.”

“Third Aunt, no need to be polite. We’re family, no need to be so formal.”

Meeting his uncle, Liu Sansheng was so happy he drank a few more cups. Liu Hu, with a better tolerance, left the shop without any change in complexion.

On the way, Song Tingzhu said to his husband, “Let’s go back and tell father and mother the good news. They’ll be happy.”

Liu Hu, however, said, “Father might be angry.”

Song Tingzhu was puzzled, “Why?”

Half an hour later, in the Liu family courtyard.

“Liu Laosan, if you have the guts, never step into my door again! I, Liu Dasheng, will pretend I don’t have a brother like you. From now on, our families will go our separate ways, never to interact again!”

Liu Dasheng, who had never lost his temper with anyone, uncharacteristically shouted outside for almost a quarter of an hour before stopping.

“Father cares about Third Uncle, but he’s upset that Third Uncle treated him like an outsider,” Liu Meng sighed. “Third Uncle didn’t want to burden our family, but we’re family. Facing difficulties together is better than one family bearing it alone. Luckily, Third Uncle is strong, but if it were a weaker man, he might not have survived.”

In the kitchen, Ruan Xiulian wiped her hands on her apron and came out, “Alright, if you’re so capable, keep him outside when he comes.”

Liu Dasheng fell silent. After this outburst, he even ate half a bowl more than usual, and the younger generation watched, smiling without saying a word.

The next morning, the Liu family courtyard was bustling with joy. Chickens and ducks were being slaughtered, making the villagers drool.

“Not a festival or anything, why is the Liu family killing chickens and ducks?”

“Who knows? Probably burning money. They just made some silver and started feasting. They’ll finish it all in a few days!”

“Liu Granny, you’re so bitter. Your eldest son’s family is killing chickens and ducks, and you don’t know why?”

Liu Cuie retorted, “Why should I care? Our families have cut ties. What they do is none of my business.” She turned to leave.

Someone who loved to stir trouble shouted, “Liu Granny, your third son is back! I heard he opened a shop in town, living like a god with gold and silver!”

Liu Cuie spat on the ground, “God, my foot. If Liu Laosan had that ability, he’d have come back flaunting long ago. I know my own son.”

“A bunch of heartless gossips. Wait till my grandson becomes a scholar, then you’ll be jealous.”

Liu Cuie grumbled as she returned to the west courtyard, seeing her second daughter-in-law lounging with her legs crossed, leisurely cracking melon seeds. Her anger flared.

“Crack, crack, crack. The family buys fruits, and you munch them all. How greedy!”

Cui Yulan immediately knew her mother-in-law had been upset outside and didn’t want to provoke her further. She quickly stood up, “Mother, don’t be angry. I just fed the chickens and ducks and sat down for a moment.”

Liu Cuie, still fuming, snapped, “Have you washed the clothes? Watered the vegetable garden? It’s almost noon, is lunch ready? Lazy all day, so much work undone, are you blind?”

“Mother, rest. I’ll go now.”

Cui Yulan turned away, her face falling, muttering angrily under her breath.

“Old hag, when my son becomes a scholar, we’ll move to town, and you and the old man can stay in the village watching the ancestral graves!”

Seeing her leave, Liu Cuie continued to grumble, “Lazybones. If it weren’t for my grandson, I’d have had Ersheng divorce you long ago.”

In the west courtyard, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were at odds, while in the east courtyard, there was constant crying.

“Third brother, you’re finally back. All these years without a word, I thought something terrible happened to you, that you died…”

“Big brother, I wanted to come back, but I couldn’t face you.”

The brothers hugged and cried until Tian Youfu arrived with snacks, and they finally parted, wiping their tears.

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Author’s Note: Ah, it’s here, it’s here. I’ll try to update more tomorrow [flowers][flowers]
Jiuguan: Magpie