Ger, So Proud

Chapter 83

This time, He Ze planned to buy medicinal plants like han banxia and Lian qiao, a decision made after thorough consultation with Xu Qingsheng and careful consideration.

Both are spring-sown herbs that don’t require specific soil or climate conditions, can be harvested within the year, have short growth periods, and possess considerable medicinal value. Especially banxia, which has seen high market prices in recent years.

Lian qiao can be grown from seeds available at herb shops; however, banxia, like baizhi, needs to be planted using tubers bought from mountain herb farmers. Hence, although this trip was within the county, He Ze anticipated the time required for selection and other tasks, and informed Dad Li that he would be away for at least two days.

Life went on peacefully as usual. One day, when He An wasn’t home, an unexpected guest arrived, attracting a large crowd of curious villagers.

The visitor was dressed in luxurious clothes and exuded an air of nobility, clearly from a wealthy family. He Youcai couldn’t recall ever knowing such a person and exchanged a bewildered glance with Dad Li.

“Uncle, are you He Ze’s father?” Luo Zhanming greeted politely.

“Yes, I am. And you are?” He Youcai came to his senses.

Could this be a friend from He Ze’s academy? But he had never mentioned anyone like this.

“I’m Luo Zhanming. I’ve come to express my gratitude to He Ze for saving my life.”

Seeing He Youcai’s continued confusion, Luo Zhanming elaborated, “During the Lantern Festival, I accidentally fell into the water, and He Ze saved me.” He glanced at Ah Mu, who promptly handed him something. “This small gift is a token of my appreciation, please don’t refuse it.”

“This…”

“These are just small, insignificant items to express my gratitude. If it weren’t for He Ze, I wouldn’t be standing here today.”

To avoid any misunderstanding that he might be a brother, Luo Zhanming consistently referred to “He Ze”.

“Is that so,” He Youcai pondered for a moment, noticing the growing crowd at the door. “If you don’t mind the humble setting, please come inside.”

He Youcai led Luo Zhanming and Ah Mu inside, but some villagers quickly rushed in, eager to inquire, “Caiyun, is this your relative?”

The speaker’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. “I saw their carriage when they arrived, with a top made of the finest brocade… And my son works at the clothing shop in town. The clothes that man was wearing must be worth at least this much!” He excitedly held up five fingers.

The Luo family has been in business for generations, inheriting their eloquence from their ancestors. Luo Zhanming, a standout among them, had been following his father in trade since childhood, which refined both his speech and experience. In no time, he won He Youcai’s favor, who began referring to him affectionately as “virtuous nephew” and chatted with him warmly for over an hour without wanting to let him go.

“Huh, is Brother He Ze not home today? How come…” Luo Zhanming pretended to be puzzled as he glanced around the house, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person he truly wanted to see, but to no avail.

“You came at a bad time, virtuous nephew. Ah Ze went out with Yu-ge for a couple of days and should be back by this afternoon. Oh, Yu-ge is my future son-in-law,” He Youcai explained.

“Uncle He, you’re very fortunate!” Luo Zhanming smiled, though his mind was elsewhere, wondering if He An had also gone out.

He Youcai, pleased by Luo’s words, responded, “Indeed! When they hold their wedding banquet, I’ll make sure Ah Ze sends you an invitation.”

“I will definitely attend,” Luo Zhanming assured.

After this brief exchange, they continued their conversation. Mostly, it was He Youcai talking and Luo Zhanming responding, expertly navigating through the topics. His responses were either insightful, leaving He Youcai feeling enlightened, or subtly flattering, making He Youcai beam with pride.

He Youcai’s laughter echoed frequently.

Standing nearby, Ah Mu, Luo Zhanming’s attendant, couldn’t believe how obsequious his master was behaving. He rolled his eyes, realizing the gravity of the situation—his master was serious about taking responsibility for the person who saved him.

Could it really be that his master, having been saved heroically, had his heart stirred and now wanted to repay with lifelong devotion?

Ah Mu’s thoughts wandered, his expressions fluctuating, until Luo Zhanming tapped his head with a fan, bringing him back to reality. “What are you daydreaming about? It’s time to go.”

“Virtuous nephew, won’t you stay for a meal? My wife is a good cook, and the food should be almost ready. How about staying and tasting it?” He Youcai offered, reluctant to see him go.

“Thank you, but I promised my dad I’d be back by noon.”

“Alright then, let me just—”

“Father, Dad, I’m back!” He Youcai was interrupted by He An’s voice from the courtyard.

“That’s my son, Ah Ze’s younger brother,” He Youcai explained as they walked out.

It was clear to Luo Zhanming why He Youcai had left the room and not returned until now. His legs felt like they were filled with lead, refusing to move.

He really didn’t want to leave!

Seeing He Youcai had already exited the room, Ah Mu quickly reminded, “Young Master, we should go out now?”

“Mm,” Luo Zhanming responded reluctantly, knowing that there was no use in regretting any further.

He An had just heard from Dad Li that there was a guest at their house. The next moment, he saw Luo Zhanming coming out of the main hall, and his eyes widened in surprise.

How adorable! Luo Zhanming couldn’t help but smile.

“F-Father, he…” He An stammered, pointing instinctively at Luo Zhanming.

“What are you doing? Don’t be rude!” He Youcai knocked his hand down impatiently. “This is your brother’s friend. Your brother saved him last time, and he’s here to express his gratitude. You should have met him already.”

Afraid that He An might slip up, Luo Zhanming interjected, “Yes, that’s right. Does He An remember me? I was saved from drowning by your brother last time, and you were there too.”

“Yes, I remember.” He An felt uneasy upon recalling the incident, fearing Luo Zhanming might have come for revenge. With his brother absent, he was alone…

“Alright, you and your brother kept this well hidden from me. We’ll settle this later!” He Youcai said, twirling his mustache before turning to Luo Zhanming with a broad smile. “I’ll see my dear nephew out.”

“—Alright, alright.”

Luo Zhanming walked slowly, and when he passed He An, he gave him a big smile.

To He An, that smile seemed blatantly malicious!

Just as they were about to reach the courtyard gate, He An began to feel a bit more at ease. Suddenly, Luo Zhanming kicked Ah Mu’s leg and lightly touched his own stomach.

Being Luo Zhanming’s faithful servant for over a decade, Ah Mu instantly understood. The next moment, he clutched his stomach and started to groan, his face contorting in pain, acting so convincingly that even Luo Zhanming was taken aback by his performance.

“What’s happening? Did he eat something bad? Wait, I’ll get Doctor Xu!” He Youcai was visibly startled by Ah Mu’s condition.

Luo Zhanming quickly grabbed his arm and signaled to Ah Mu, “Uncle, it’s nothing. Ah Mu has a stomach ailment, an old issue. He can’t go hungry; it flares up when he doesn’t eat enough. I guess he didn’t eat much this morning, and I didn’t notice.”

Catching Luo Zhanming’s cue, Ah Mu seemed to recover slightly and weakly said, “Uncle, don’t worry. It’s true, I just need a couple of buns to tide me over, and I’ll be fine soon!”

“There’s a sickness like that?” He Youcai was surprised, but he didn’t doubt it for a moment. He had chatted with Xu Qingsheng and knew that there were countless strange and rare diseases in the world. “Alright, come inside quickly. I’ll have your aunt prepare some food. Two buns won’t be enough!”

Thus, Ah Mu was escorted into the house by He Youcai and Luo Zhanming, one on each side. He An, who had witnessed the entire scene, was left dumbfounded, only coming to his senses after a long moment.

If his thoughts were displayed as a barrage of comments, there would be a screen full of “WTFs.”

He didn’t believe for a second that Ah Mu truly had such a disease, especially one that flared up at this precise moment. They just wanted an excuse to get back at him!

He An gritted his teeth, determined like a warrior ready to sacrifice, and walked into the house. As he moved, a piece of paper he had been holding rustled in the wind.

Unexpectedly, Luo Zhanming remained quiet and well-behaved throughout lunch. Apart from occasional small talk with He Youcai and answering Dad Li’s questions, he didn’t even glance in He An’s direction. It seemed his sole purpose for staying was to have this meal.

This left He An, who was already fuming, even more frustrated.

However, the lunch further improved He Youcai’s impression of Luo Zhanming. He had initially thought that a young master like Luo, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, might not appreciate simple country food. Surprisingly, Luo Zhanming seemed to enjoy it.

Now, He Youcai looked at Luo Zhanming with the same fondness he had for his own younger relatives.

Alarm bells rang in He An’s mind. As soon as Luo Zhanming put down his chopsticks, He An immediately said, “B-brother Luo, are you leaving? If you stay too late, your family might worry.”

“Why not stay a bit longer? It’s midday, the sun is strong. Better to rest a while and then leave. It won’t make much of a difference,” interrupted Old Man He before Luo Zhanming could respond.

“Listen to Uncle He. Since it’s this time of day, why not wait until Brother He Ze returns?” Luo Zhanming said with a smile. “Ah Mu, let the coachman go back first and inform my parents, so they don’t worry.”

“Yes, I’ll do that right away.” Ah Mu promptly left the courtyard.

“Don’t worry, dear nephew. He Ze should be back soon. I’ll have him take you back in our ox cart.”

“Thank you, Uncle He.”

“No need to thank me.” He Youcai waved his hand, clearly in a good mood. Luo Zhanming smiled at the right moments, which only made He An more anxious.

Dad Li cleared the dishes and brought out a pot of tea. Luo Zhanming and He Youcai chatted about all sorts of things. He An felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, wanting to leave but fearing Luo Zhanming might badmouth him in his absence.

Luo Zhanming then remarked, “I noticed many potted plants in the courtyard earlier. Are they Brother He Ze’s work?”

Those dozens of potted plants were lush and green, with a few even budding. They looked exceptionally well cared for, enough to catch his attention.

“That’s right. He likes to tinker with those plants. Recently, he even rented a shop in town to open a flower shop!”

“Oh, by the way,” He Youcai suddenly remembered something and turned to He An, “Did you give Doctor Xu the flyers your brother made for the flower shop?”

The Flower God Festival on the twelfth day of the second lunar month was when He Ze planned to open the shop. As a modern person, advertising before opening a store was second nature to him. A few days ago, he designed a raffle flyer and planned to hire some scholars in town to copy it multiple times to distribute before the opening. When Xu Qingsheng heard about it, he volunteered to help, saying he was idle due to a lack of patients recently.

Thus, this scene unfolded.

“No,” He An shook his head and pulled out the folded paper from his jacket, “Uncle Xu wasn’t home, so I didn’t see him.”

“I see. Well, go again later then.”

“Okay.” He An nodded obediently.

“Flyer? Can I take a look?” Luo Zhanming’s interest was piqued by just one word.

“No way!” He An quickly stowed the paper away, guarding it like a treasure. Seeing that He Youcai was about to speak, he immediately added, “Brother said it has to be kept secret. No one is allowed to see it.”

He An had picked up a thing or two from He Ze, and now he could lie without batting an eye.

Since his eldest son had declared it to be a secret, He Youcai naturally didn’t push further. He glanced apologetically at Luo Zhanming, but the latter didn’t seem to mind at all. “It’s alright, my mistake.”

The two exchanged polite pleasantries, while He An continued to glare at Luo Zhanming. Unfortunately, the latter had a thick skin like a city wall, impervious to He An’s irritation.

He Youcai originally wanted to chat more with Luo Zhanming, but was soon called away by Dad Li. He wanted to take advantage of the good sunlight to bring out the household furniture for airing, but couldn’t manage it alone.

Luo Zhanming offered to help, but He Youcai waved him off. “It’s not proper to let a guest do chores!”

Once He Youcai left, He An didn’t want to stay with Luo Zhanming either. He gave Luo Zhanming a glare and then angrily went to water the plants.

Luo Zhanming just smiled and said nothing, but he fetched a low stool and sat under the eaves, watching He An with great interest.

Ah Mu, who had returned to relay a message, stood behind him, his eyes downcast, observing his nose and heart.