Butcher Fulang’s Noodle Shop - Chapter 8
Xu Zhongyue had an expressionless and strikingly handsome face, seldom displaying any emotions.
It was only when Song Shi’an voiced his thoughts that he realized he had actually blurted them out.
Even when you speak your mind, you can’t pretend it doesn’t exist. Song Shi’an raised his eyes with a bit of courage, laughed nervously, and gradually found the idea rather brilliant.
Xu Zhongyue appeared to be a man in his mid-twenties. He had personally stated that he was unmarried, and the government hadn’t assigned him a marriage partner. Perhaps it was because butchers were often associated with violence, and no one dared to recommend him for marriage to the government?
If the two of them joined forces, and Xu Zhongyue could let go of his inherent menacing aura, Wang Jiaojiao might think twice about bothering him.
With his intelligence and extraordinary culinary skills, the business was bound to flourish, drawing the envy of many who would seek a share of the profits. With Xu Zhongyue as their protector, their venture would be much safer.
After pondering this, Song Shi’an felt an urgent desire to marry Xu Zhongyue, and his eyes were filled with longing as he looked at him.
For a considerable time, Xu Zhongyue remained silent, his cold, star-like eyes locked onto Song Shi’an. Song Shi’an felt as if he were being scrutinized until the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He nearly forgot he was a shuanger and had a peculiar sensation as though he were publicly confessing his love to a schoolgirl in a town square.
Earlier, Song Shi’an had contemplated marriage solely for his own benefit, which was mostly a spirit of cooperation. Business was about mutual gain; it couldn’t work if he only considered his own welfare and expected others to contribute selflessly.
In reality, there were many benefits to marrying him… Song Shi’an struggled to put his thoughts into words, and his cheeks turned crimson for a moment.
Xu Zhongyue continued to gaze at his neck and the lobes of his ears, gradually reddening in the twilight, yet he remained silent.
Just as Song Shi’an was about to press on and continue his efforts, a woman suddenly appeared behind Xu Zhongyue. She was in her late thirties, her hair coiled in a bun, adorned with two peony silk flowers placed askew. She was rather attractive.
She cast a disapproving glance at Song Shi’an and rebuked, “You two are so audacious, discussing marriage matters with a man all on your own? Have you no shame…”
She was about to continue but was halted by Xu Zhongyue.
“Grandma Yan, your trip was in vain.”
Although she was older, being called “Grandma Yan” by Xu Zhongyue had nothing to do with age; it was because she was a “middle woman,” specialized in talking about marriages.
The profession of arranging marriages had a dubious reputation, but it was extraordinarily profitable. Typically, it was passed down from mother-in-law to daughter-in-law within families. Anyone engaged in the matchmaking industry, even young sisters-in-law in their early twenties, had to add “mother” to the end of their surnames to enhance their seniority and demonstrate respect for the critical business of marriage.
Upon hearing this, Grandma Yan expression darkened.
She protested, “Butcher Xu, are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? Young Lady Zhao from the bank once visited your house to purchase meat in person. She’s an elegant young lady with an exceptionally beautiful appearance. Besides her looks, do you know how much her father plans to offer as a dowry?”
Grandma Yan gestured and said, “Fertile lands, a bank account, along with a good bed and fine fabrics, add up to more than a thousand taels of silver!”
If the marriage was agreed upon, the Zhao family promised to present Grandma Yan with a red envelope containing fifty taels of silver as a reward!
You see, even though she made a decent living as a matchmaker, the average marriage fee was just one tael of silver. Even if she managed to arrange for a wealthy man to take on two beautiful concubines, she would only receive a reward of two taels.
Fifty taels of silver, that was a fortune! How could Xu Zhongyue, a mere butcher, possibly decline such an offer?
Xu Zhongyue patiently waited for Grandma Yan to finish her speech, and his tone remained unchanged, “It’s slippery at night, Grandma Yan. Please take care when walking.”
His tone was chilling, filled with indifference. Grandma Yan had been talking for the entire afternoon, and her mouth was parched. She feigned not understanding Xu Zhongyue’s parting words several times.
Yet, she persisted, “Butcher Xu, with your parents gone, you don’t have any elders to provide guidance. Do you understand how beneficial it is to marry a good wife with the backing of her mother’s family? Do you want to butcher pigs your whole life…”
“In addition to pigs, I also butcher cows and sheep,” Xu Zhongyue finally lost his patience. He furrowed his brow and opened the door widely, signaling for her to leave.
“There’s nothing wrong with being a butcher. I’m willing to be a butcher for the rest of my life,” he declared coldly. “As for who I like or dislike, it has nothing to do with a person’s dowry. If they’re a good person, I’ll marry them even without a dowry.”
His tone was as icy as if he were ready to murder someone. Frustrated, Grandma Yan could only slink away, her temper flaring.
.
Xu Zhongyue turned and returned to the house. Song Shi’an hesitated at the door, asking, “Xu ge-ge, may I come in?”
Xu Zhongyue glanced at him. Song Shi’an had previously received pig intestines and pig head meat as gifts from him. He wasn’t sure if Xu Zhongyue had been keeping up with his dietary supplements, and he was fortunate enough to guess what he meant.
The door was open, so he stepped inside.
Not forgetting the purpose of his visit, he bought three kilograms of pork first.
Xu Zhongyue had been annoyed by Yan Po and didn’t conduct business for half of the afternoon, and, as expected, he still had over half a fat meat at home. He cut three and a half kilograms of pork for Song Shi’an, including both fatty and lean cuts. Despite this generosity, he only charged for three kilograms.
Seeing that Xu Zhongyue wasn’t rushing him away, Song Shi’an wrapped the pork in wax paper and presented Xu Zhongyue with food wrapped in a cloth.
The braised pork head had been expertly sliced and was delicious when accompanied by a bit of spiciness. A basket of freshly steamed siomai was still warm.
Additionally, there was a box of sauce in a small wooden container that he had prepared himself. Xu Zhongyue wasn’t adept in the kitchen, but even if he simply boiled the meat slices and dipped them in this sauce, they would taste amazing.
While Xu Zhongyue indulged in the siomai, Song Shi’an didn’t miss a beat in continuing to advocate for himself, saying, “After we get married, I’ll cook whatever you want to eat. I won’t trouble you if you pretend. And if you ever meet someone you truly love in the future, I won’t stand in the way. I’ll cooperate with you to complete all the necessary procedures, whether you want to divorce or take on a wife. Everything will be your choice!”
Xu Zhongyue furrowed his brow once more, “Fake marriage?”
Song Shi’an nodded vigorously, his eyes gleaming.
Song Shi’an had sincerely proposed a win-win plan. If Xu Zhongyue agreed to cooperate with him, he was willing to give Xu Zhongyue 70% of the profit from the pork-based meat dishes.
“I won’t let you down, so, Xu ge-ge, would you be willing to marry me?”
Xu Zhongyue lowered his face and uttered cold words with his beautiful lips, “No.”
Song Shi’an, carrying the basket, left with a heavy heart. He became the second person Xu Zhongyue rejected, after Grandma Yan.
.
The next morning, he pushed his cart to the dock, his expression sullen and his heart heavy.
As he sold breakfast, there wasn’t a single smile in sight.
The porters didn’t dare to speak loudly. Instead, they picked up their bowls of noodles and avoided him, huddling together in conversation.
“What’s wrong with An ge’er? His face looks even worse than when he went to the graves?”
“Yeah, his biological parents and stepmother are so cruel. If he could visit their graves, he should be smiling!”
“How pitiful. Once they’re married, they’ll be happy. It’s much better if you rely on a man.”
This is what the porters said, but none of them could help Song Shi’an.
These laborers worked hard and earned decent money, so they saved up their bride prices early. On this pier, there were hundreds of porters, and only a few of them were still single.
They already had wives, children, and elderly parents to support at home. Although these men acknowledged Song Shi’an’s beauty, no one wanted to bring him home as a spouse.
The work was grueling, and their liver and kidneys ached after a day’s labor. With more wives and concubines to support, their hearts, livers, and kidneys would feel the strain.
.
This problem loomed over Song Shi’an’s head like the Sword of Death, leaving him uneasy. Even if today’s earnings reached a new high, making the other three stall owners envious, he couldn’t find much joy in it.
After packing up his cart, he retrieved the pork from the well and buried it underground to keep it from spoiling. He also visited the pastry shop and purchased four types of pastries, which he intended to use as thank-you gifts.
If Xu Zhongyue couldn’t agree, he would need to seek out another business partner. He wondered if Aunt Liu had any suitable candidates.
Song Shi’an was so lost in thought that he collided with someone. He apologized twice before realizing that the person he bumped into was Xu Zhongyue.
He paused for a moment, then managed to force a smile and greeted him, “Xu ge-ge, are you also heading out to visit relatives?”
Xu Zhongyue, with his tall stature and the light behind him, cast a condescending shadow. Song Shi’an heard him say something, but after a sleepless night filled with worry, and the morning sun shining so brightly, he was drowsy and a bit unsteady on his feet.
He didn’t hear clearly, so he gave a vague response, “Yeah.”
Xu Zhongyue’s eyebrows slightly lifted upon hearing this, he chose a question that was a bit cold and cruel. In reality, the question he asked was not pleasant to hear.
It was, “Are you in a hurry to go out and find another husband?”
.
Aunt Liu lived in Huamei Alley on the west side of the city. Walking was the only way to reach relatives and friends at this time.
Song Shi’an walked a couple of blocks and noticed that Xu Zhongyue was following him, unhurriedly. Despite having rejected him recently, Song Shi’an still didn’t want to let the relationship sour, so he tried to strike up a conversation, saying, “Xu ge-ge and I are heading in the same direction, what a coincidence.”
This time, Xu Zhongyue simply responded with a “Yeah.”
Song Shi’an, who was usually talkative, fell silent. After all, not long ago, Xu Zhongyue had rejected him, so it wasn’t appropriate to joke casually.
Upon reaching the entrance of Huamei Alley, there were numerous houses with yards. Song Shi’an recalled that Aunt Liu’s house was the third behind the gate.
He counted the doors as he walked, but suddenly heard the door being flung open, and a woman stumbled out. Her hair was in disarray, and she took a few unsteady steps before leaning against a wall and heading to the other end of the alley.
A middle-aged man chased after her, grabbed her disheveled hair, and pulled her back. He raised his other hand high, ready to strike, and yelled, “Damn, I just said a few words to you and you’d die. Is this how you respect your elders? I think it’s because your parents died young and didn’t teach you and your damn sister the rules of serving your father, that’s why they raised you to be a punching bag!”
When Song Shi’an saw the woman’s face, his eyes welled up with tears.
One of those two people was Aunt Liu, and the other was her husband, Uncle Gao.
It became clear why the previous occupant of Song Shi’an’s body had endured so much suffering. Aunt Liu, despite her sympathy for her nephew, had seldom been able to help. She concealed this reality from the previous occupant, who remained unaware of Aunt Liu’s own abuse!
Song Shi’an set down his basket and went after them. He leaped up and tried to grab Uncle Gao’s arm to stop him.
“No!” He couldn’t bear to saw a woman being hit, especially Aunt Liu, who had saved him and cared for him.
When Uncle Gao turned around, he had a fierce look on his face and reeked of alcohol. He didn’t recognize Song Shi’an at all, and he didn’t care about his wife’s deceased relatives.
“Get out!”
He waved his hand, and Song Shi’an was thrown lightly. At this moment, it became painfully clear that he now occupied a frail, vulnerable body, unlike the powerful one he once had.
Xu Zhongyue moved to stabilized Song Shi’an before his head hit the ground but his right foot was sprained and Song Shi’an felt so painful.
Uncle Gao turned back to continue assaulting Aunt Liu, but this time, his attacks lacked force, and he was flung lightly by Xu Zhongyue’s kick.
So cruel.