Rebirth: Not Being a Waste - Chapter 14

After Zhang Shu leaves, Zhang Huai goes to find Wang Changfa and Zhu Dabao. He discovers that the two of them have been beaten so badly they look like swollen pigs—no wonder they haven’t dared to show their faces in the village lately.

Only after asking around does he learn that Zhang Shu really fought them that day and managed to injure them, though he also got hurt in the process.

Zhang Huai feels a brief sense of panic, but he quickly calms himself down. Even a rabbit will bite when it’s cornered—Zhang Shu resisting once or twice isn’t anything unusual.

Later, he overhears some women, including his mother, complaining. Apparently, when Zhang Shu went to work that day, they only said a few words to him, yet he cursed them to the “Hell of Tongue Ripping.”

He doesn’t think much of Zhang Shu fighting back, but what strikes him as odd is that someone who usually stays silent speaks such harsh words—harsh enough to scare those gossiping women.

Curious, he carefully inquires about what happened while he was away. Nothing major seems to have changed, except that Zhang Shu was with Li Mujin on the same day he first stood up to Wang Changfa.

So the problem must be with Li Mujin, he concludes. It’s probably because his elder cousin wants to marry him, so he’s deliberately acting tough in front of him. After all, if Zhang Shu remains the same weakling as before, Li Mujin’s father and brother will surely look down on him.

Thinking this, Zhang Huai sneers. There’s no way Zhang Shu can cause any real trouble. He puts the matter out of his mind.

That afternoon, Zhang Shu empties his backpack, taking out a bag of cakes for his grandparents. Then, he hands over one or two taels of silver and asks them to keep it safe.

His grandmother wipes her tears. “Our Ah’shu is really sensible—he’s even making money for his grandma now. I’ll save it for you so we can find you a good wife in the future.”

“Grandma, I don’t want a wife—I want a husband,” Zhang Shu says directly, deciding it’s best to prepare them early and prevent them from trying to match him with a woman.

“Oh, you like gers? That’s fine too! Then we’ll save up to marry you a ger instead,” she says cheerfully.

“Yeah.” Zhang Shu smiles, realizing once again that when he takes control of his own life, others respect his choices. If he remains passive, they will continue treating him like a child.

After leaving his grandparents’ room, he goes back to his own, grabs the hairpin he bought, along with a bag of pork and another bag of cakes, and then heads out. He’s going to see Little Mujin.

As he walks, he instinctively glances around at every corner, half-expecting Wang Changfa and his gang to jump out at any moment.

But they never come.

Still, he isn’t afraid even if they do. If they show up, he’ll just put his things away first and then fight them. After half a month of work, he has gotten stronger—even if they bring an extra person, it won’t matter.

Unfortunately, all his mental preparations are for nothing—Wang Changfa and his gang never appear.

He reaches Li Mujin’s house without incident and knocks gently on the door.

With a creak, the door opens, revealing a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties. “Zhang Shu, come in quickly. Are you here to see Jin’er?”

He lets Zhang Shu inside and calls for Li Mujin. The two children have been friends since they were young, and they have never once fought despite playing together for so many years.

As a father, he actually has high hopes for Zhang Shu and Mujin. Zhang Shu might be soft-tempered, but he’s hardworking and comes from a well-off family. Most importantly, he listens to Mujin and never contradicts him.

He doesn’t expect his son to marry a nobleman—he just wants him to marry someone who will treat him well. And Zhang Shu clearly cares for Mujin.

“Uncle, this is a reward from my employer. We already have enough at home, so I brought these for Mujin and you.” Zhang Shu hands over the cakes and pork, his expression sincere but tinged with nervousness.

Back when the Li family fell on hard times, Zhang Shu was powerless to help. He watched helplessly as Li Aba grew older by the day, as Mujin was forced to sell himself. In their past life, they were never able to be together. But in this life, no matter what, he will make sure it happens.

“Why are you being so polite, kid? Keep it at home for your grandparents. If Jin’er wants some, he can have his brother bring it over,” Li Aba says, tactfully refusing. If he accepts, Wang Cuilan will surely start gossiping.

“Uncle, take it. These are my own things—I can decide what to do with them. Other people have no say in it,” Zhang Shu insists, sensing what Li Aba is worried about.

“Aba, just take it,” Li Mujin says as he walks in. Without hesitation, he makes the decision for his father. He doesn’t like seeing Zhang Shu looking uneasy.

Li Aba has no choice but to accept. Before leaving, he playfully scolds his son, “You greedy little thing!”

Zhang Shu and Li Mujin exchange smiles and leave the house together.

They walk to the hillside where they often sit, but today, Li Mujin is strangely quiet. After Zhang Shu speaks a couple of times without getting a response, he finally notices that something is wrong.

Tentatively, he reaches out and brushes his fingers against Li Mujin’s hand. When Mujin doesn’t pull away, he grows bolder and wraps his entire hand around his.

“Little Mujin, what’s wrong? You suddenly look unhappy. Did I do something to upset you?” Zhang Shu asks cautiously.

Li Mujin doesn’t say anything, but his ears turn slightly red. He’s obviously shy because Zhang Shu is holding his hand, yet he doesn’t pull away.

Zhang Shu is certain he has upset him. He thinks about it for a long time before realizing, “Are you angry because I didn’t tell you I was going out to work?”

Li Mujin quickly withdraws his hand. “Who’s angry? I’m not yours, so why should you tell me anything?” He turns his back to Zhang Shu, pulling at the grass beneath him.

“Mujin, don’t say that. It was my fault. But I didn’t expect Brother Laiwang to decide so quickly, so I didn’t get the chance to tell you. You must have worried about me for a long time, right?” Zhang Shu quickly gets up, walks around to face Li Mujin, and half-kneels in front of him, his voice full of urgency.

Li Mujin feels better seeing Zhang Shu’s anxious face. They have never been apart for so long. This time, when Zhang Shu didn’t come to see him for days, he panicked. His brother was the one who told him that Zhang Shu had gone to the county to work.

He feels a little aggrieved. Why didn’t Zhang Shu tell him himself? But hearing his explanation, he realizes Zhang Shu still cares about him.

“Brother Ah’shu, you have to tell me next time, or I’ll be worried.”

“I will! Next time, I’ll tell you everything!”

They look at each other, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. Zhang Shu sits down beside Li Mujin and takes out a wooden box from his arms, handing it to him.

Li Mujin takes it and examines it. The box is beautifully crafted, with delicate patterns carved into it. It would be perfect for storing his little trinkets.

“Brother Ah’shu, is this for me?”

“Yes. Do you like it?” Zhang Shu watches him fidget with the box, growing nervous when he doesn’t open it right away.

Li Mujin hesitates. “Why did Brother Ah’shu suddenly start calling me Jin’er?” he murmurs, then looks down. “What’s inside?”

Just as he unlatches the box, a tall man steps out from the woods. He carries a quiver on his back, a bow in his left hand, and a hare and a pheasant in his right.

His sharp eyes land on Zhang Shu, and he frowns.

“Jin’er, come home!” he orders in a deep voice.

Zhang Shu stiffens instantly.

They look at each other, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. Zhang Shu sits down beside Li Mujin and takes out a wooden box from his arms, handing it to him.

Li Mujin takes it and examines it. The box is beautifully crafted, with delicate patterns carved into it. It would be perfect for storing his little trinkets.

“Brother Ah’shu, is this for me?”

“Yes. Do you like it?” Zhang Shu watches him fidget with the box, growing nervous when he doesn’t open it right away.

Li Mujin hesitates. “Why did Brother Ah’shu suddenly start calling me Jin’er?” he murmurs, then looks down. “What’s inside?”

He unlatches the box and is stunned when he sees what’s inside.

It’s a silver hairpin, gleaming brilliantly in the light. It’s so dazzling that it almost hurts to look at. A delicate vine pattern wraps around the straight pin, making it look both sturdy and elegant. He picks it up and holds it in his hand. It’s small and exquisitely crafted—he can already imagine how beautiful it would look in his hair.

He stares at it for a long time before carefully placing it back in the box and pushing it toward Zhang Shu. “Brother Ah’shu, I can’t accept this. It’s too expensive. You should take it back.”

Zhang Shu panics. “Jin’er, why don’t you want it?”

“It must have cost a lot of money! You should take it home for your grandmother or return it.” Li Mujin shakes his head. “Farmers work hard for every coin they earn. I can’t take something so expensive.”

“It’s not expensive,” Zhang Shu insists. “I bought it just for you, and I picked it out carefully. Jin’er, do you know how I feel about you?” His face turns red as he confesses.

Li Mujin is silent, but a sweetness blooms in his heart. How could he not know? His feelings are the same.

“I just want to be good to you,” Zhang Shu continues. “I already gave Grandma one or two taels of silver, and I still have a few hundred coins left. I brought them all today.” He takes out a heavy purse filled with copper coins. “Can you keep it for me? I don’t want to leave it at home. My family’s situation is complicated right now, and I don’t know how to explain it to you yet. I just don’t want anyone else knowing about this money.”

Zhang Shu looks straight at Li Mujin, and in that moment, his gaze softens Li Mujin’s heart.

“Brother Ah’shu, I don’t know why you’re doing this, but if you trust me, I’ll keep it for you. You can come and get it anytime.”

“Of course I trust you! You’re the person I trust the most!” Zhang Shu says without hesitation. Then he takes the silver hairpin from the box and places it in Li Mujin’s hand.

“This is the hairpin I want to give to my future husband, Jin’er. Will you accept it?”

It feels like a fire is burning in his hands—and in his heart. Li Mujin is dizzy from the warmth of it. After a long pause, he finally hears his own voice say, “Yes.”

Zhang Shu takes off the wooden hairpin from Li Mujin’s hair and carefully replaces it with the silver one. After admiring his work, he says, “Jin’er, you look so beautiful.”

Li Mujin gazes at Zhang Shu and whispers, “Brother Ah’shu, you’re beautiful too.”

The two childhood sweethearts sit on the hillside, praising each other in hushed tones.

Suddenly, a tall man steps out from the woods. He carries a quiver on his back, a bow in his left hand, and a hare and a pheasant in his right.

His sharp eyes land on Zhang Shu, and he frowns.

“Jin’er, come home!” he orders in a deep voice.

Zhang Shu stiffens instantly. He is terrified of Li Mujin’s older brother, Li Yan. Though Li Yan has never hit or scolded him, his imposing presence alone is enough to make Zhang Shu’s legs go weak.

Of course, he also feels a little guilty—after all, he is trying to steal away someone’s younger brother.