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Glossary
Chapter 9: Qian Xiao Qi, Wait a Minute
The boss hurriedly smiled as he said welcome, then quickly wiped the seat to allow Song Liang Zhuo to sit. Song Liang Zhuo spoke with a smile: “You’re still working this late at night?”
“Aaah, just preparing tomorrow’s roast chicken so it can be ready early in the morning.” The boss replied with a smile.
The boss’s wife poured a bowl of water, smiled excitedly and said: “Official da ren1, please have a drink.”
(1) 大人 – “da ren” Sir/Madam. A suffix used for an official or a person in authority.
Please do not host elsewhere but MBC and Yumeabyss
Please do not host elsewhere but MBC and Yumeabyss
Please do not host elsewhere but MBC and Yumeabyss
Please do not host elsewhere but MBC and Yumeabyss
Please do not host elsewhere but MBC and Yumeabyss
Xiao Qi pouted as she got up, when she walked to the door she suddenly remembered Ha Pi2. After giving several calls, a white shadow dashed out from the backyard. Xiao Qi had bent down with the intention of picking him up, but seeing blood stuck to Ha Pi’s mouth, she jumped back. Song Liang Zhuo reached out to steady Xiao Qi who had retreated quickly, lowered his head take a look at the Ha Pi whose mouth was covered with blood and knitted his brows.
(2) The pinyin is Ha Pi, so I don’t know why trung used Ha Da? Ha Pi, I think, means naughty or mischievous, or maybe it’s just meant to be a cute name.
“Haha, this is probably the result of eating the leftover chicken bits in the back. This dog really is adorable, to even eat so cheerfully.” The boss explained as he laughed.
Xiao Qi pouted: “Song Liang Zhou, help me carry him.”
The corners of Song Liang Zhuo’s mouth twitched, but after thinking for a while he still bent down to lift Ha Pi up by the collar of his clothes.
Song Liang Zhuo nodded to the boss then took the lead strolling out of the shop. Xiao Qi felt bad for Ha Pi whose four limbs were dangling in midair quickly waved goodbye to the boss and his wife and rushed out. Lu Liu who saw that Song Liang Zhuo wasn’t angry, silently breathed out a sigh of relief, fished out some pieces of silver meaning to pay the boss for the two bowls of noodles. The boss said there was no need, Lu Liu saw that Song Liang Zhuo and Xiao Qi were getting pretty far away, grabbed the hand of the boss’s wife and pushed the money onto her palm then rushed to catch up.
As Lu Liu ran she gave a wave to the boss’s wife who was standing at the door calling, and followed behind Song Liang Zhuo and Xiao Qi, staying at a distance not too close but not too far away either.
“Song Liang Zhuo, holding him like this, Ha Pi’s stomach will be uncomfortable.”
Song Liang Zhuo cast a look at her, lifted his hand to pass Ha Pi over, and saw Xiao Qi wrinkle her nose: “His mouth is covered with blood, so are his legs.”
Song Liang Zhuo dangled his hand again, slowly walking forward.
“Song Liang Zhuo,” Xiao Qi stopped muttering after seeing Ha Pi, turned and looked at Song Liang Zhuo, then said: “What did you come out for? I was just about to head back!”
“How were you going to head back? Weren’t you worried that the fu3 doors would close?”
(3) 府 – “fu” refers to a residence and the clan that resides there
“Jump……” Qian Xiao Qi snuck a peek at Song Liang Zhuo, and switched her words: “I’ll just knock.”
Song Liang Zhuo nodded, then turned to stare attentively at Xiao Qi a while, in a low voice asked: “Xiao Qi has suffered grievances in the fu?”
Qian Xiao Qi inwardly curled her lips, shook her head as she said: “No, Song Liang Zhuo should hurry up and build the dam, after you have used up the money I’ll ask for more. Once we settle this deal I’ll be able to properly go home.”
“Then that still means you’ve suffered grievances.”
Qian Xiao Qi gave a soft ‘hm’ but didn’t speak.
“Xiao Qi can’t eat her fill?”
Qian Xiao Qi blinked: “What about Ruo Shui jie jie4?”
(4) 姐姐 – “jie jie” Older sister, can be used to address people not blood related
“Asleep.”
“Oh.”
The two didn’t speak further on the road, walking at a pace not fast and not slow, returned to Song fu.
Song Liang Zhuo also didn’t mention Xiao Qi’s sneaking out incident. After entering the back courtyard he just threw Ha Pi on the ground. Xiao Qi glanced at Ha Pi who was frantically shaking his head, and said in a low tone: “I have to give Ha Pi a bath first, don’t treat him as a good-for-nothing, if you hate it I’ll give you money.”
Song Liang Zhuo touched his forehead: “I’m not poor to the point that I can’t feed my wife and a small dog.”
“Oh.” Qian Xiao Qi turned while coaxing Ha Pi, heading to the kitchen. After walking a while, she turned back to say: “Song Liang Zhuo, the bedroom is mine, I’m not sleeping on the table anymore.”
Song Liang Zhuo looked at Xiao Qi whose butt was sticking in the air as she used her hand to coax Ha Pi out of the courtyard, without realizing it he let out a soft laugh and slowly entered the bedroom.
Lu Liu prepared enough warm water then helped Xiao Qi put Ha Pi into the wooden basin to bath. Xiao Qi stood at the side watching, occasionally giving directions.
“Miss, I’m afraid it won’t wash off, we don’t have balsam.” Lu Liu grabbed Ha Pi’s lowermost long fur, a bit stumped.
“Keep rubbing.” Xiao Qi gestured with some force how to rub: “Rub with more strength.”
“Miss, unless we pulled the fur off there’s no way to wash it clean. But once it’s dry it won’t be apparent.”
“Will there be a fishy smell?”
“I don’t know.” Lu Liu lifted Ha Pi onto the stool, as she rubbed him using a cloth she said: “Miss, Ha Pi has always been taken care of by Zi Teng, I really can’t do it. Why don’t we send Ha Pi back, otherwise it might turn out that after we take care of him for two days he’ll end up becoming a wild dog.”
Xiao Qi Qi pouted, “I think so too. Let’s wait a few more days, so then at night I can at least have something to keep me company when I sleep.”
“What about your guye5?” Lu Liu frowned.
(5) “guye” a way to refer to someone’s husband, translated to son-in-law (used by wife’s family) and uncle (husband of father’s sister)
“I’m telling you, there’s nothing between me and that Song Liang Zhuo. After a while I’ll be able to go home.” Xiao Qi wrinkled her nose at Lu Liu: “You’re not allowed to tell Old Man Qian.”
“Then isn’t Miss pretty much willingly surrendering guye to that Miss Ruo Shui? No good, that’s no good at all! I still better tell madam!”
“You dare!” Qian Xiao Qi jumped in front of Lu Liu: “If you dare to tell then I won’t like you anymore, and I won’t let you follow me. You can go back and serve the second Miss.”
“I don’t want.”
“Then you’re not allowed to tell anyone.”
Lu Liu closed her mouth, not speaking anymore.
Qian Xiao Qi pinched Lu Liu’s cheeks and said, smiling: “Lu Liu, think about it, here we can’t eat well, can’t play well, at home isn’t it much more free and unfettered? Later, I will personally find a good guye for you, one that doesn’t nag about us eating, that doesn’t nag about us playing, and one that’s willing to part with enough money for Ha Pi to eat until his stomach’s full. How’s that?”
“Guye is a good person too.”
Qian Xiao Qi glared: “Then you can go and marry him.”
Lu Liu’s face flushed red: “Miss is saying stupid things.”
“I don’t care, I really don’t want to stay here.” Xiao Qi was a bit sad, gave a sigh and said: “I just want to go home. Lu Liu, isn’t it fine if we go home?”
Lu Liu angrily spoke: “Miss went through so many difficulties to get this marriage, to just throw it away like this, even if Miss doesn’t feel sad I’m not going to follow and act blind to it as well!”
Qian Xiao Qi took Ha Pi as she said: “Lu Liu, I really don’t remember anymore, and I don’t like unfaithful men. Later I’ll find a good one, otherwise I’ll definitely be bullied my whole life.”
Lu Liu’s lips twitched as she mumbled: “Miss’s head is muddled, guye isn’t that sort of person.”
Qian Xiao Qi pouted, hugging Ha Pi she returned to the room.
Song Liang Zhuo was sitting next to the table drinking tea when he saw Qian Xiao Qi enter carrying Ha Pi.
Qian Xiao Qi hugged Ha Pi while defensively looking at Song Liang Zhuo and angrily said: “Song Liang Zhuo, you can’t break your word. I’m not keeping you company, I’m going to sleep with Ha Pi.”
“You let him sleep on the bed?”
Xiao Qi lifted her chin and said: “I’ve always had.”
“It’s not good for the body.”
“Don’t need you to care!” Qian Xiao Qi hugged Ha Pi, walked around Song Liang Zhuo to the bedside, rubbed its fur again before putting him down at the foot of the bed. Ha Pi chased its tail, turning around in two circles, before obediently settling into a ball and stopped moving.
Qian Xiao Qi threw the blanket that Song Liang Zhuo had used before to him, saying: “You should also go to sleep, I’m going to sleep.”
“Xiao Qi, in the future you are not allowed to go out at night.” Song Liang Zhuo said it softly, but it was unquestionable: “If you get hungry, you can have the kitchen prepare a midnight snack.”
Qian Xiao Qi affirmed: “Got it.”
“In the future you’re not allowed to jump over the wall.”
Qian Xiao Qi was slightly annoyed, blinked and said ‘en6‘ again.
(6) 嗯 – ‘en’ is sound of affirmation, agreement, etc.
Song Liang Zhuo saw her purposely stretch out her arm to occupy the entire bed, gave a laugh, and said: “Sleep properly, isn’t that position uncomfortable?”
Qian Xiao Qi turned to her side, looked over, and asked: “What about you?”
“I’ll sleep in the outer room.”
“Why not sleep in the study?”
“It won’t be good if the news spread.”
What’s not good! Qian Xiao Qi mumbled to herself, but didn’t say anything else. Anyways, as long as he doesn’t sleep next to her.
Song Liang Zhuo laid on the small couch in the other room, saw the light extinguish inside, lifted the corner of his mouth into a smile, sighed a breath and also closed his eyes.
She really is a child still, only seventeen years old. In the past she held a meal box in front of the court gates every day. The first time he saw her, her entire face was dazed, paired with two crimson cheeks, he had thought it was a peasant family daughter that was bearing a huge grudge but not daring to cry out her grievances, turns out it was actually a brave girl who was pursuing him.
Song Liang Zhuo thought of that Zi Xiao who chose to enter the palace, wonder if she had already became a favored imperial concubine by now? Wonder if she regretted that decision back then.
People ah, always ponder too much!
Song Liang Zhuo sighed and turned his body, bent an ear to hear Xiao Qi’s low snoring, lightly smiled and closed his eyes.
__________
Translator Notes:
Extra Info regarding the picking up of this series here. And aaah, it’s revealed that he has a past love!!
I can’t wait for more chapters of this!! I need to find out who breaks whose heart! Give me more!! Oh wait, I’m the translator, aaah, why are there only 24 hours in a day, why can’t I use shadow clone jutsu… Oh, but… spams Voidlight, “helpmehelpmehelpme…”