Xianggong, Please Divorce Me!

Ch. 21: Taking Advantage, Afraid to Speak Out

[1] Osmanthus, Sweet Osmanthus, Tea Olive, Fragrant Olive, or Sweet Olive; These are from Asian trees particularly found in eastern and southern China. The flowers can be white, yellow, or orange. The dried flowers are about the size of rice kernels.

[2] The journey of life with its' ups and downs, twists and turns.

[3] 出水芙蓉; Idiom that prefers to the surpassing beauty of a poem or a young lady.

Ch 21 – Taking Advantage, Afraid to Speak Out

Su Tang looked at his appearance, merely felt now that he was awfully cute. She extended her hand wanting to touch his head and thought that he only allowed cold noodles to stroke it. Soon afterwards she switched to pinching his small face.

Xuan Zi quickly glared at her, but didn't say anything because the mashed lotus seed bunny rabbit was excessively tasty. He took a bite and smooth sticky rice running like liquid filled his mouth. However bountifully eating, he discovered that this flavor was different from what other people prepared.

Xuan Zi finished munching. "What's inside this?" he asked. "It's not like what others make."

"Of course it's not the same, a little osmanthus flowers [1] were added inside to increase the sweet fragrance."

Xuan Zi nodded his head and extended his small hand thinking to take the small duckling, but Su Tang blocked him.

"It's not good for little children to eat too many sweets. You eat this." Su Tang brought out the green colored round dumpling.

Xuan Zi thought a bit and heeded what was said. He gave up on the small duckling, picked up the green round ball, and bit into it. Not paying attention, the chicken broth inside completely poured out. Xuan Zi's little mouth was preoccupied with licking, unwilling to waste anything.

Smiling, Su Tang brought out a handkerchief for him and said, "Eat slowly eat, there's still more."

Xuan Zi abruptly stopped and quickly glanced at Su Tang. Something inside his eye rose up and changed.

(Her) eyes watched Xuan Zi eat almost everything. The opportune moment had already arrived. With a crafty smile, Su Tang asked, "You followed me out today, right?"

Xuan Zi choked.

"Not saying anything is admitting it." Su Tang again asked, "Ok, why did you want to follow me?"

Xuan Zi swallowed the last mouthful of pastry, his pursed lips motionless.

Su Tang said toward her fingers, "If you have something to say then say it. You've raised difficulties so I'm unable to act impartially, exploited matters so that I'm afraid to speak out. And you've accepted a favor, eaten my things. How can you not answer my question?"

Xuan Zi lifted his head, eyes opened wide. Wasn't it you who insisted on giving me food to eat!

This woman is too cunning!

Su Tang continued with a genial smile on her face and said, "Still I understand. However, you told a fib. If great-grandmother and your daddy knew that you lied, would or would not...." Ai ya, she truly is too wicked!

Sure enough, Xuan Zi changed color and almost begging said, "You can't tell them."

Su Tang raised her eyebrows. "Then you must tell me the truth."

Xuan Zi eyelids drooped, a long time he later said, "A man came looking for you. And you had him wait outside for you, so I followed you out."

"So...." Su Tang thought for a while, a tad not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "As a result you mistakenly thought I was a red apricot tree leaning over the wall. You want to help your cold face Dad keep an eye (on me)?"