Chapter 2: Engagement

By dinner that evening, Shen Mulin still hadn’t seen Gu Xiangzhu again. Li Xi brought food and set it on the small table, then called him over. “Still feeling unwell?”
“Much better, thank you, Uncle,” Shen Mulin said, still wrapped in the blanket. “Where’s Xiangzhu?”
Shen Mulin figured that since they were both men, this form of address was most appropriate—neither too intimate nor too distant. But it sounded quite different to Li Xi’s ears.
In the village, children were given cheap names to help them grow up healthy. Even the several children in his family who had been given refined names were still called by their childhood names.
In the past, the classmates who were close to Zhuzi mostly addressed each other as “brother.” A refined form of address like “Xiangzhu” was truly uncommon.
“Just call him Zhuzi,” Li Xi said. “He’s already eaten. Lin-ge’er, how tall are you? You look a bit shorter than my Zhuzi.”
Shen Mulin was 183 centimeters tall, but he didn’t know this dynasty’s units of measurement, nor how to convert, so he had to say, “It’s been a long time since I measured. I’m not sure.”
Li Xi stroked his chin. “I’m sorry to have you stay wrapped in a blanket for now. Tonight I’ll alter some of my clothes for you. What a pity—those nice fabrics you were wearing are all torn beyond recognition.”
Shen Mulin waved his hand. “No need, no need, Uncle. Just lending me an old set of Zhuzi’s clothes is fine.”
Li Xi dropped his chopsticks. Remembering his son’s instructions, he wondered—could it be that Lin-ge’er had been raised as a boy since childhood and never knew he was actually a ge’er?
Otherwise, how could he be so… so… Oh my, he didn’t even know what to say.
No matter how dense Shen Mulin was, he could tell something was off. He vaguely felt something wasn’t right and probed cautiously, “Is there something not quite appropriate?”
Li Xi thought, what could possibly be appropriate about this? Whose parents would only tell their child to think of himself as a man without having him cover up? With a pregnancy mole displayed so openly beneath his eye, who could possibly accept that this Lin-ge’er was a man!
He sighed inwardly. Lin-ge’er probably thought he was hiding it perfectly. Forget it, forget it—better not to expose it.
“No, it’s just that the Gu boy doesn’t have many old clothes. They’re mostly academy robes—not suitable for you to wear.”
Shen Mulin understood. That made sense—he couldn’t wear someone else’s school uniform. If Gu Xiangzhu could still go to school in the future, how could he do without clothes?
“Then I’ll trouble you, Uncle. If there’s anything I can do, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Li Xi smiled. “Where was your family originally from? Do you have any family left?”
Shen Mulin thought of his parents and younger brother, not knowing if he could ever return. That car accident must have worried them to death.
“I don’t have anyone anymore. I’m the only one left in my family.”
“Do you have any relatives you could go to?”
“None.” Shen Mulin said.
Li Xi sighed. “Do you have any plans?”
Shen Mulin shook his head. He had come to this unfamiliar place with no money, and without documents or a household registration, he couldn’t even find work. He answered honestly, “I have nothing, and nowhere to go.”
Li Xi had guessed as much. The cold winter months were the hardest to endure. Anyone with options wouldn’t have collapsed at their doorstep, soaked through with snowmelt, burning with fever—clearly ill for some time.
His clothes, though relatively intact, were thin inner garments. In this weather, who would wear such things unless they had no other choice?
The blue-and-white striped style was bizarre and not warm at all.
Li Xi picked at his food and unconsciously studied Shen Mulin.
First-rate appearance, good temperament—clearly raised by a well-off family, polite and proper. Even setting all that aside, just from their brief conversation, Li Xi felt comfortable with him.
A ge’er raised as a man—his family must have had high hopes for him. New Year was approaching. If he wanted to continue north, he should go to the authorities soon to register and obtain travel documents.
“I should let you rest properly, but with the New Year approaching, the authorities will be on holiday from the tenth. If you can recall any relatives or friends, I’ll have someone take you to the county tomorrow to get your documents.”
Shen Mulin swallowed his half-chewed food. “Uncle, I have no family left. If I wanted to stay, would it be easy to get a household registration?”
“Disasters have been frequent lately. This year’s severe cold has meant poor harvests. Even the relief shelters may not have space.”
Li Xi spoke to him from the heart.
“As for household registration, it’s fine if you have a place to settle. But if you have nowhere to go and need the county to take you in, they won’t do it—that would mean allocating land to you. Getting them to give up anything is harder than reaching the sky, unless you have the skills to support yourself.”
Shen Mulin looked out the window. The snow hadn’t stopped. He didn’t even have a decent set of clothes—never mind going to a relief shelter or the authorities, he’d freeze to death just stepping outside.
Seeing his worry, Li Xi ultimately couldn’t suppress the conflict in his heart. After deliberating for a long time, he carefully spoke up: “Uncle wants to ask you—are you a ge’er?”
If Lin-ge’er denied it, then they would treat him as a man. It was just an extra pair of chopsticks—no big deal. Everyone faced hard times eventually.
Shen Mulin furrowed his brows. “I am.”
Since childhood, he had been praised as pretty and cute—the word “handsome” was used less often. Shen Mulin pinched his own face. But that still shouldn’t make him be mistaken for a girl.
It was just that the term for men here was novel—probably similar to “young man” in modern times.
Li Xi gasped. So—so he knew! He had his own motives and cautiously tested the waters: “Lin-ge’er, what do you think of my Zhuzi?”
“Zhuzi? He’s quite nice,” Shen Mulin said directly. “Seems to have a good temper.”
He secretly added two more points: good-looking, tall—in modern terms, he’d be the gentle-boy-next-door type.
“Then… then would you be willing to marry him?” Li Xi blurted out, then hastily added, “If you’re willing, I’ll add some things to the house. We have land—we can rent it out or farm it ourselves. We also have a small place in the county with yearly income. If you want to go out, that’s up to you too.”
His Zhuzi would be twenty after the New Year. As his stepfather, Li Xi was anxious, afraid that no one would keep Gu Xiangzhu company in the future. He had been quietly asking around.
After saying it, he felt he had been too abrupt. Never mind how Lin-ge’er had ended up at their home—speaking of this now was taking advantage of his situation.
Not to mention Zhuzi’s eyes…
“Look at me, I’ve gone senile, talking nonsense. Don’t take it to heart. It’s just that getting the household registration will take some days, and the village has many wagging tongues—I’m afraid it might harm your reputation… Don’t worry, from now on, I absolutely won’t let Zhuzi be alone with you!”
Shen Mulin grew even more confused. Could it be that you couldn’t stay overnight at someone’s home here unless you were engaged? Otherwise people would gossip? How was this place both so open-minded and yet not open-minded at all?
Gu Xiangzhu had come out to get something and overheard his stepfather’s words—and Shen Mulin’s assessment of him. His ears instantly turned completely red.
So this person really was a ge’er. He didn’t know what kind of family had raised someone with such boldness of character.
The storeroom at home could be cleaned up, thick mattresses and quilts added, and a mason hired to build a stove—it could be lived in. There was no need to let himself be a burden to others.
He was about to go in when the door was pushed open and someone stepped in on the cold wind.
“Zhuzi, where’s your stepfather? How could you be so unprincipled—getting engaged without even telling us? You really don’t treat us as relatives.”
The person behind also chimed in, “Exactly. After the New Year you’ll be nineteen. Others your age are already fathers.”
The one speaking first was Gu Xiaoli, Gu Xiangzhu’s younger aunt—a fiery, impulsive sort. The latter was her second sister-in-law.
Gu Xiangzhu’s grandfather’s first wife had given birth to Gu Da and then passed away not long after. He later married a widow who had a son. That son was a year or two younger than Gu Da, and only afterward was Gu Xiaoli born.
Gu Xiaoli didn’t wait for Li Xi to come out. She strode into the room and immediately spotted Shen Mulin wrapped up tightly on the bed. At first she thought him delicate and pampered, but then she saw his outstanding looks and her heart softened three parts.
“Sister-in-law, really, you’re still hiding him! What a beautiful child—and you kept it secret. Everyone else knows but us.”
Li Fang also sat down, her face dark as she scolded, “Look how delicate he is—wrapped in a blanket in this weather, and you don’t see him caring for your stepfather or Zhuzi. When he marries in, what will become of things?”
Li Xi was bewildered. “What are you talking about? Who’s getting married?”
Shen Mulin had been criticized for no reason. Though he was good-tempered, he wasn’t someone to be kneaded at will. He immediately countered, “Who is this auntie? Do you know me? Are you some relative or elder of mine?”
Li Fang was choked speechless. “You…”
Gu Xiaoli pulled at Li Fang and said anxiously, “Half the village knows! Your family picked up a ge’er from outside, saved his life, and he wants to repay you with his body!”
Li Fang spat. “If you ask me, Xi-ge’er, why do you want someone of unknown origin? What status does Zhuzi have? Even blind, there are people willing to match him. My second uncle has a girl—she’s only slightly lame in one leg, but she’s spirited and capable. We’re already relatives—wouldn’t this be even better, closer kin?”
She showed no regard for Shen Mulin being right there, speaking without restraint.
Li Xi grew agitated too. “What nonsense are you spouting? That girl of yours is lazy, gluttonous, and loose-lipped. Can’t marry her off so you want to shove her at my Zhuzi—we don’t want her!”
Gu Xiaoli also felt it was inappropriate. They had come today about Zhuzi’s marriage, and the young ge’er was still right there while she said such things.
She quickly mediated, “Alright, Sister-in-law, just tell us how this marriage should be handled. The New Year is almost here—if we don’t do it now, waiting until next year won’t be appropriate.”
There was no reason for an unmarried husband-to-be to spend New Year at his future husband’s home.
Gu Xiaoli said worriedly, “The weather isn’t good either. If we want to do this, we should hurry and settle it. I’ll have my husband go to the county to buy some pork and order a few chickens. We still have some eggs at home—it should at least look proper.”
Li Xi cut her off. “There’s nothing. He’s just a guest. Once he’s rested and recovered, he’ll leave.”
Li Fang wouldn’t have it. She pointed at him and said, “Do you still have spare money? Keeping an outsider for nothing—you might as well give the money to me so my Yuan boy can go to school!”
“Now everyone in the village says your Zhuzi looks like a proper person, but it turns out all his reading went to the dogs—keeping an outsider in the house. Zhang Lan even saw them hugging and cuddling!”
“You’d better send him away quickly and arrange a match with my family’s girl. If anyone asks, just say you were kindly helping someone and he was already engaged. If you let this ge’er stay a few more days, think of Zhuzi’s scholarly reputation—and it’ll save you a few taels of silver too. Don’t let an outsider take advantage for nothing!”
Li Xi knew immediately it must be that Zhang Lan spreading rumors outside. He was so angry he was about to get off the bed. “I’m going to tear that bastard’s mouth off!”
Gu Xiangzhu calmed him. “Why care about others’ words? My conscience is clear. Stepfather, there’s no need to get worked up.”
Li Xi raised his hand to strike him. “You don’t care, you don’t care! You studied hard for so many years, finally earned a reputation, and now she’s ruining it!”
“It doesn’t matter. I…” Gu Xiangzhu was about to speak when Shen Mulin, beside him, reached out and tugged at his sleeve. “Can I talk to you alone?”
Before he could reply, Li Fang cried out, “See! Xiaoli, I told you this one’s a fox spirit! Pulling and tugging, wanting to be alone together—where in the world is there such a ge’er!”
Shen Mulin was annoyed by her shouting. “What are you talking about, Auntie! Why can’t we be together? Would it be fine if it were your family’s girl instead? Setting aside everything else, if two people get involved just from a glance or a touch, that’s harassment. Auntie, you should keep your distance from others in the future—don’t ruin their reputations.”
Li Fang was so angry she pointed at him, speechless.
Gu Xiangzhu said coldly, “Aunt, it’s freezing cold. Go home early.”
Shen Mulin tugged at him again. Gu Xiangzhu’s body stiffened. “Stepfather, please wait with Aunt in the outer hall for a moment.”
He added, “Don’t close the door tightly.”
Once the room was empty, Gu Xiangzhu asked, “What do you want to discuss?”
Shen Mulin patted the space beside him. “Sit.”
Gu Xiangzhu didn’t move. Shen Mulin laughed. “Going to say it’s improper again?”
He propped his chin on his hand. “Is everyone here like you?”
“What?” Gu Xiangzhu said.
Shen Mulin laughed again but didn’t say what.
“What happens if I don’t marry you?”
Gu Xiangzhu didn’t know why he asked but answered truthfully, “It’s just rumors. But it will bring trouble on you—people will point fingers. I’ll tell them…”
Though rumors stop with the wise, three people can make a tiger—it would take some time.
But he planned to find someone to audit his studies soon. At that point, those with eyes would see there was nothing improper between them. Add a little sugar water or similar incentive, and have them spread word outside—children’s words were always believed.
After some time, it should die down.
“And if I do marry you?” Shen Mulin asked.
Gu Xiangzhu was startled by this. He touched the corner of his eye. “…I can’t hold you back.”
Shen Mulin leaned close and pulled him down to sit. “What are you afraid of? You’re the one losing out in this deal. I have no status, no money—I’d freeze or starve just stepping outside. If I marry you, at least I’ll have a meal.”
“How about this—we’ll make do for now. Once your eyes are cured and you’ve earned your scholarly honors, if you find someone you like, we’ll divorce,” Shen Mulin said. “After we marry, I’ll contribute to all the household affairs. In the future, if we divorce, just give me thirty percent of the silver earned after our marriage, and I’ll leave on my own.”
Gu Xiangzhu, his hand held down and unable to move, said, “This… this isn’t good…”
Shen Mulin pressed closer. “In everyone else’s eyes, we’re already a couple. If we marry, the ugly talk will stop. Leave the rest to me—I promise to restore your reputation as a scholar and gentleman.”
Gu Xiangzhu felt the warmth from his hand. “But what about you afterward? Divorce, after all…”
Shen Mulin was dazed for a moment. Given the current situation, staying was the best choice. He didn’t know this dynasty’s laws, didn’t understand local customs, couldn’t read the writing—and there was this damned reputation…
He thought of it as each taking what they needed. He would receive the Gu family’s protection, and no matter what he achieved in the future, he should repay them.
So he made Gu Xiangzhu’s eyes his top priority. If the county couldn’t help, he’d go to the prefecture, the capital. If truly no one in the world could cure them, he would find Gu Xiangzhu a means of living so he’d never be held back by others again.
As for separating… this person was truly a fool. His family was so poor, yet he still worried about him. With a household registration and knowledge of the world, where in the world couldn’t he go?
“Then let future me worry about that,” Shen Mulin said, twining his fingers with Gu Xiangzhu’s and pressing them open, their ten fingers interlocked. “According to the customs here, should I call you husband?”
Gu Xiangzhu felt his head was about to explode. Usually, he could study until dawn without feeling dizzy, but now he felt somewhat faint. He stammered, “…We… we’re not married yet. It’s not proper.”
“Oh,” Shen Mulin nodded. “So once we’re married, I can call you that?”
Gu Xiangzhu answered quietly, “…I suppose so.”
Warmth spread through his palm. The hands holding his weren’t soft—there were some calluses, probably from doing work before.
Since he had touched Shen Mulin’s hand, he had to take responsibility. Good thing they were getting married—it wasn’t too improper.
Gu Xiangzhu gathered his courage and put a little strength into his hand. There would be one more person in the family from now on. Lin-ge’er had suffered a great disaster and wasn’t in good health. He should copy more books to help him recover—he couldn’t let him be wronged.
Shen Mulin didn’t know what Gu Xiangzhu was thinking. He only noticed that Gu Xiangzhu had also tightened his grip, and knew the matter was settled. He was delighted and quickly said, “Please invite Uncle and the others in.”
“I’ll go call them,” Gu Xiangzhu felt even more ashamed. “Sorry to trouble you for a day. Tomorrow I’ll have someone make you some new clothes.”
He walked to the door and said, “Stepfather, Aunt… please help us pick an auspicious date…”
Li Fang left grumbling and cursing. Gu Xiaoli, still worried, stayed behind.
After hearing Li Xi explain, she knew it was that wicked gossip Zhang Lan who had caused the trouble.
But she still felt for her nephew. He was nearly old enough to be a father and still unmarried.
Who knew how many times the villagers had gossiped behind their backs. If this wasn’t real, he’d be pointed at even more, and finding a match in the future would only be harder.
Now that it was settled, she felt happy. She clapped her hands. “Great! I’ll go home and tell my husband. We’ll come tomorrow to help you prepare!”
Li Xi, on the other hand, was worried. He grabbed Gu Xiangzhu and questioned him at length, afraid that their family’s words had upset Shen Mulin and pushed him into agreeing. This was a matter of a lifetime—their family couldn’t bully someone just because he had no one else.
He went in to ask several more times, and Shen Mulin answered each time.
Only after confirming that he hadn’t agreed because of the gossip did Li Xi feel relieved. Then he remembered there wasn’t much at home and they still needed to buy things.
Li Xi hurried after Gu Xiaoli to discuss it with her.
Author’s Note:
Sorry, I accidentally replaced this chapter when posting a new one. It’s been switched back.
Thanks for the support.