Draft
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Su Jingyang rolled away and went to sleep. It was probably because he drank ginger soup. He slept wrapped in a quilt warm and dreamless the whole night. The next day he woke up a great deal more energetic. He had stopped sneezing, his nose wasn't blocked, and his face was bright but still a little bit painful.
Ling Li was very relieved to see that he was fine. While he was helping him out on medicine. his expression couldn't help but become worried, fearing that his face would be scarred.
Su Jingyang didn’t care. He joked with Ling Li, “You’re like Ah-Yuan, afraid that I won’t be able to get married, right? I won’t marry. but if I really need to get married... I'll just marry Ah-Li, alright? You look good, you're gentle and kind, you're considerate to me, and your cooking is so delicious; I'll never lose out if I marry you!"
Su Jingyang relied on the fact that his body's current gender that was the same as Ling Li's to talk nonsense. (T/N: Clearly haven't realised that in this world, this is, technically gay)
Su Jingyang smiled and leaned his face forward, blinking and staring at Ling Li. He couldn't bear but tease him half-truthfully: "Why, I'll just use the restaurant as a betrothal gift, alright? I'll be its shopkeeper, you'll be its chef, together we'll make money. Not to mention being rich and wealthy, you can worry no more about food and clothing."
Ling Li's eyelashes fluttered, and his fingertips that was applying medicine to Su Jingyang's face trembled suddenly. He stared at Su Jingyang's smiling eyes for a moment and suddenly realized that he was wasting medicine. He twisted the stopper of the medicine bottle several times before closing it successfully. Ling Li said: "Jingyang, I'm not as good as you think I am."
"Why not, you're simply the best." Su Jingyang was fueled by the thought that he would be able to get the deed to the restaurant later and couldn't restrain his excitement.
Su Jingyang couldn't wait to go out. He threw himself forward and hugged Ling Li who hadn't reacted at all, he said, "Don't go out today, wait for me to come home!"
Ling Li stiffened, he blinked and responded softly.
Ling Li's hand was about to rest on Su Jingyang's shoulders, but Su Jingyang had already let go of him and stood up, "Be sure to wait for me!" After another yell, he ran out happily.
Su Jingyang caught Ah-Xuan who was playing alone at the door of the room and kissed him again and again while hugging him. Ah-Xuan's tender face was deformed by him.
"You little guy must be obedient at home. Uncle will come back and take you out to play."
Su Jingyang touched his head again and put him down.
Ah-Xuan saw him running out in high spirits and chased after him, shouting vaguely: "Uncle, uncle, uncle!" Ling Li came over and hugged him, stopping him from running away. Ah-Xuan whimpered in frustration and leaned back in Ling Li's arms.
Su Jingyang had just walked out of the gate happily and meet Ah-Yi face-to-face When he found out that he was going to go visit Ling Li, he couldn't help being surprised, he stopped and asked him, "What are you going to do?"
Ah-Yi glanced at him and said decisively: "Something happened." Then he passed by and pushed open the gate he had just closed and went in.
Su Jingyang stepped back, wanting to hear what Ah-Yi had to say to Ling Li, but found that Ling Li greeted him cordially and invited him to the kitchen. Ah-Xuan followed on Ling Li's heels and Ah-Yi's eyes wandered away. After searching, it finally landed on the black outer robe that hung in the yard and fluttered in the wind. A small smile seemed to tug at the corner of his mouth.
Su Jingyang scratched his head and left. It seemed that this guy was all ready to woe Ah-Li, he was really quite positive so early in the morning, his spirit was commendable. Just by looking at Ling Li's attitude, he would probably suffer a lot.
Su Jingyang went to meet Liang Lu and waited at Lin Ji pavilion to sign the agreement. The last person to come in wasn't the owner, but a steward. Without mentioning anything else, he glanced at Su Jingyang’s identification card and checked the banknotes. He directly signed the agreement and stamped it, giving the house deed to Su Jingyang, and leaving in a cool manner.
Su Jingyang still felt like he was dreaming after taking the house deed. He was overjoyed. He climbed the two floors back and forth for several times, he felt proud to finally have a real estate certificate to call his own.
Liang Lu stood downstairs with a smile, his gaze followed the figure that kept running around and he said to him: "The transfer will still take some time to finalise, I'll hang you up when it's done."
"Alright, thank you so much."
Su Jingyang was very grateful to Liang Lu for taking care of the manner, he offered free lunch at noon. Liang Lu was naturally happy to accept. In the end, they chose a restaurant that Liang Lu often visited.
Boss Su secretly spied at the decorations of the restaurant while inside, the dishes and the prices. He knew that Lin Ji pavilion would definitely not be able to replicate such a high-end atmosphere, it would be better to just take the homey route. With Ah-Li’s craftsmanship, could their business fail even if they tried to?
Su Jingyang couldn't withstand Liang Lu's persuasion during their meal. Because he was already happy, he didn't restrain himself and drank two glasses. After the meal was over, he couldn't even walk a straight line.
Liang Lu didn't expect him to be such a lightweight, he felt very helpless. He wouldn't be able to return home by himself, so Liang Lu helped Su Jingyang onto the carriage.
Seeing Su Jingyang limply nestled in the corner, Liang Lu stared at him with sober and unconscious eyes, asking him what's wrong. Su Jingyang hiccuped before asking, "Where are you going to take me?"
"I'll send you home." Liang Lu said.
Su Jingyan blinked slowly and snorted, "You really do know where I live."
Liang Lu looked at his face, his tone was a little melancholic, "I just know that you live there, how can I harm you little ancestor¹? Its really unnecessary to keep it secret from me."
Su Jingyang said: "W-who's your ancestor?"
"You." Liang Lu said: "I, Master Liang, have never cared so much about anyone else in my life."
Su Jingyang thought for a long time, "... Do you really like me?"
Liang Lu laughed at his suddenly sober tone.
Su Jingyang breathed out a sigh full of alcohol, thought about it again, and said straightforwardly: "But I don't like you. You wanted to commit a crime towards me before."
Liang Lu felt sullen in his heart, he raised his other hand to stop him, "Don't say more, I know it, it was my fault and I hurt you... so I don't expect you to forgive me. "
Su Jingyang's face was ruddy after being drunk and his eyes half-opened and half-closeded for a while before saying unhurriedly: "But now I don't hate you anymore. It's alright to be, um, friends, don't you think? Tell me."
"Yes, this will do, thank you for your grace." Liang Lu knew that he was really drunk when he heard his words. He found that he was slightly shivering, so he took a bed blanket to cover him, wrapping him until only his head was exposed.
Su Jingyang closed his eyes and mumbled for water. Liang Lu held a teacup and leaned forward to personally serve Boss Su some hot water. After drinking the water, Su Jingyang tilted his head and fell asleep.
There was no impermeable wall in this world. Su Jingyang and Ling Li had been living together for so long, someone was bound to notice. Su Jingyang was close to Liang Lu, so someone naturally delivered the news to Liang Lu. So Liang Lu had known about it long ago.
When the carriage approached his street, Su Jingyang suddenly woke up. Before he could sober himself, he lifted the curtains of the car and began to shout loudly, Ah-Li, Ah-Li! I'm back!
Ling Li heard the unusual movements and hurriedly led Ah-Xuan out to pick him up.
As soon as Ling Li came out, the door next door opened, Ah Yi's expressionless face appeared behind the gate. As he watched Liang Lu get off the carriage with the drunk Su Jingyang, Ah-Yi pursed his lips tightly, his forehead bouncing with blue veins.
The carriage had just stopped at the door of Ah-Yi's house. Ling Li greeted him and was very surprised that Su Jingyang was sent back drunk. Su Jingyang broke away from Liang Lu's hold and staggered to Ling Li. Ling Li hurriedly caught his falling body.
Ah-Xuan spun around Su Jingyang twice and was deterred by the smell of alcohol on his body, he pinched his nose and ran to Ah-Yi's side, stretching out his arms for a hug.
Ah-Yi picked him up and watched Su Jingyang who was smirking at Ling Li.
Su Jingyang took out the house deed in his arms, the silver bills left over from the purchase of the building, and even his identity card, there was even a bag of sugar that he had bought for Ah-Xuan to eat. He handed all of this to Ling Li
"Here, it's for you, it's all for you." Su Jingyang could barely stand firm with the support of Ling Li, he even burped a few times alcohol-packed burps in a row: "Say yes, say yes, this is my bride price, all given to you."
When he finished the words, he fell silent, closed his eyes, and fell into Ling Li's arms.
Ling Li was still at a loss at first but immediately realized what it was. The house deed was real and the silver taels were real. Ling Li hugged Su Jingyang who put all his weight on him and glanced at the rich and graceful Liang Lu standing beside the carriage, his face turned pale in an instant.
Liang Lu didn't stay much, he sent Su Jingyang back, looked at the surrounding environment, glanced at Ah-Yi again, and then left in the carriage.
Ling Li was agitated and helped Su Jingyang home. The drunk man was as good as dead, and it was a little strenuous for Ling Li.
Ah-Yi put down Ah-Xuan and said to Ling Li: "I'll help you."
Before Ling Li could say no, Ah-Yi had already brought Su Jingyang, who stinked of alcohol, into the yard with ease.
Outside the house, Ling Li caught Ah-Xuan in the mess and suddenly heard Su Jingyang scream: "Who the hell is pinching my ass!"
Ling Li asked Ah-Yi what was wrong but Ah-Yi didn't look back, telling him that Su Jingyang was just talking in his sleep.
Ling Li let out a murmur, lowered his head, and didn't ask any more questions.
Ah-Yi gritted his teeth and threw Su Jingyang to the bed, he then clapped his hands and went out. Ling Li put the house deed and the bank note on the table, the expression on his face wasn't good as he sat. Ah-Yi knew that he might've misunderstood something, so he told him where Su Jingyang's money came from.
"A bounty of five hundred taels?" Ling Li heard that the whole figure and seemed to have come back to life, and the depression between his eyebrows and eyes had disappeared a lot, he muttered: "But, I haven't heard him mention this before..."
A-Yi said: "His dumb brain probably wanted to give you a surprise."
Ling Li was silent, he reached out and held the deed in his hand. He clenched it tightly, remembering Su Jingyang's mysterious and uncontrollable excitement that morning, his throat choked, and his eyes were instantly wet.
Ling Li quickly concealed his anomally and slowly remembered something, he said to Ah-Yi: "If it was a bounty, then... this should be for you."
Ah-Yi didn't want to push and pull on this with him, he just said: "I have it too, we split half-half. This is yours, keep it."
Ling Li seemed to have believed what he said, he put the things away and arranged them inside the room. He then went to tuck in the quilt for Su Jingyang who was still asleep on the bed, he looked at him quietly with a soft expression on his face before going out.
When Ling Li returned to the hall, he found A-Yi squatting on one knee, resting the palm of his right hand on Ah-Xuan's head as if lightly sensing something. Ah-Xuan was obedient and motionless, with his eyes half-closed, as if he felt very comfortable.
Ling Li had seen him doing this several times. When he was playing with Ah-Xuan two days ago, he came over and did this all morning, and then now.
Ling Li stood by and stopped talking. After a while, Ah-Yi finally stood up, he turned around and said to Ling Li, "What did the doctor say about the child's illness?"
Ling Li walked over to embrace Ah-Xuan, he trembled, "They said it couldn't be cured." Ling Li thought about his actions and wanted to ask him if there was any way, but his throat became blocked and he didn't ask after all. He didn't dare to form an unrealistic expectation.
Ah-Yi rolled back and forth on his heels in contemplation, he then looked at Ling Li again and was silent for a moment before continuing: "This child isn't able to understand the seven truths. Perhaps the wizard of the Rong clan can help you."
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Notes:
1- Some speculate that this termed started after the One-child (now Three-child) policy. Since there's only one child every couple, there would be only one grandchild for four grandparents. Naturally, that child is spoiled to death and treated like an ancestor. Another conjecture is that clans used to be so big that a high-ranking child had status similar to an ancestor compared to their cousins/nieces/nephews. The term is usually a joke.
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PastTimer: About the Ling Li part, it may not be what you think. In China there's both dowry and bride price, the dowry is for the bride to spend privately, it won't be given to the groom's family without consent. The bride price can be money or/and gifts given to the bride and bride's family by the groom, sometimes if the bride price is deemed too low, the bride's family would postpone or altogether reject the groom's proposal. Chances are, Ling Li assumed that Su Jingyang was offered a bride price by Liang Lu and he accepted (means yes to the dress). He might've thought that Su Jingyang was giving his bride price to him because he was leaving them 🕶️