The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 4

Early the next morning, Tian Xiaoman dresses up beautifully again and quietly slips to the back mountain. Few people come to this place, so he won’t be disturbed by that troublesome Tian Xiu’er!

He is excited to meet Brother Zhang Bin. He hasn’t seen him last time, and there is so much he wants to say. I wonder if Brother Zhang Bin feels the same way, he thinks with a smile.

Zhang Bin, the only scholar in Xingtian Village and a well-known talent in the surrounding area, is always careful about his image. He wears long robes year-round to distinguish himself from the common folk, and no matter the weather, he always carries a fan. In the eyes of the villagers, he is the epitome of a scholar!

Just before dawn, while Zhang Bin is still in bed, he is suddenly awakened by a knocking sound. Listening carefully, he realizes the sound isn’t coming from the door, but from the window.

He stands up, walks to the window, opens it, and sees Tian Fu. “What are you doing here?” Zhang Bin asks, not remembering any reason for these brothers to visit him.

“My little brother wants to see you!” Tian Fu replies coldly, looking at Zhang Bin with disdain. He doesn’t like the way Zhang Bin pretends to be cultured, putting up a row of bamboo behind his window just for show.

“Xiaoman? That malicious ger? No way!” Zhang Bin says, disgusted.

“Say that again! Do you want to feel my fist?” Tian Fu threatens, glaring at him.

Zhang Bin shudders at the thought of Tian Fu’s strength, remembering the time he had seen these brothers beating someone up.

“I’ve already spoken to my mother and explained everything to your family. Why are you still pestering me?” Zhang Bin says, his voice full of frustration. He has acted on impulse and teased Xiaoman just because he found him pretty. Now, this ger has become like sticky taffy that won’t come off. How could he, a scholar, marry someone like him, a country bumpkin with no education?

“Who’s pestering? I only want you to reject him clearly so he can give up! You think anyone would want you? My brother was blinded by pig fat before!” Tian Fu clenches his fist, making it clear that if Zhang Bin doesn’t comply, he’ll resort to force.

“What are you trying to do? This is my house. Be careful or I’ll call the county magistrate and report you for breaking in!” Zhang Bin snaps, no longer afraid. A country boy wants to fight him?

“I saw someone on Tanhua Street on the first of May this year. What do you think would happen if word of that gets out?” Tian Fu says leisurely, watching Zhang Bin’s face turn pale in an instant.

Tanhua Street is a famous red-light district in the county. Although it isn’t as overt as other places, many secret prostitutes live there.

Tian Fu has noticed a figure coming out of an alley one day, and though the person tries to cover their face, Tian Fu recognizes him immediately.

“Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything to Brother Xiaoman. I’ll go right away!” Zhang Bin hurriedly grabs his clothes and gets dressed, desperate to avoid any rumors.

Tian Xiaoman stares at the mountain path with wide eyes, eagerly waiting for Zhang Bin’s arrival. Finally, he spots Zhang Bin.

“Brother Zhang Bin, you’re here!” he exclaims with a joyful smile. He takes a few steps forward, eager to speak with him, but just as he is about to say something, he notices Zhang Bin quickly stepping back, as if trying to avoid something dirty.

“Xiaoman, I’m here to tell you clearly. It’s impossible between us. You need to give up on this!” Zhang Bin’s voice is cold.

“You… what are you talking about? Brother Zhang Bin, did you hear them say bad things about me? I didn’t push Tian Xiu’er. Please believe me!” Tian Xiaoman quickly explains, hoping for some understanding.

“Stop talking! So what if it wasn’t you who pushed him? Your reputation is already ruined. I can’t marry someone with such a reputation. Even if your reputation wasn’t ruined, I still can’t marry you. How can my future wife be illiterate?” Zhang Bin’s eyes are filled with disdain, as if all the anger he had felt from Tian Fu is now being vented on Xiaoman.

Tian Xiaoman stands frozen, unable to believe what he is hearing. How could Brother Zhang Bin say such things? The last time they met, things were fine…

“I… I can learn,” he mutters, his eyes fixed on Zhang Bin’s face, hoping it’s some sort of joke.

“How will you learn? Don’t talk about this again! And don’t spread rumors about me. There’s nothing between us! I haven’t even held your hand. There’s nothing to talk about!” Zhang Bin waves his sleeve and quickly walks away, eager to deal with the situation Tian Fu has mentioned.

Tian Xiaoman stands there in a daze, watching Zhang Bin’s retreating figure for a long time. Eventually, the tears begin to flow.

“Xiaoman, what’s wrong with you?” Mother Tian is feeding the chickens in the yard when she sees her little ger walk in, head down, looking as if he has suffered a great blow.

“Mother… it’s true… it turns out what my father said was true. He looks down on me, saying I… saying I can’t read… Wuwuwu…” Tian Xiaoman looks up, revealing his swollen eyes, and begins crying again.

“You silly child, you went to find him? Would we lie to you?” Mother Tian says, her heart aching as she looks at her ger. Xiaoman has never cried like this before.

“I… I don’t like him anymore…” Tian Xiaoman sniffles, feeling the sting of rejection for the first time. He has never been rejected like this, especially by someone he has always liked. The pain of a broken heart is something he has never known, and now it overwhelms him.

Grumble… As Tian Xiaoman is crying, his stomach suddenly growls.

“Mother, is the meal ready?” he asks between sobs. Only when he is full will he have the energy to be sad.

Mother Tian can’t help but laugh, shaking her head. “Alright, alright, stop crying. You didn’t eat last night, so you must be starving now.”

Her son has always been greedy. Ever since he learned to walk, they have been worried about his development. When he was just over a year old and still couldn’t walk, they rushed him to the doctor, thinking something might be wrong. But the doctor only laughed and said, “He’s just too lazy to walk!”

But when Mother Tian thinks of that day, she smiles to herself. They have tried everything to encourage him to walk, but he refuses, as if he prefers to stay put. Eventually, one afternoon, out of the blue, he starts walking.

That afternoon, Mother Tian had been sitting with Xiaoman in the yard, peeling corn, when a warm breeze blew. She watches her ger, his little head tied in a bun, slowly drifting off to sleep, and she can’t help but smile.

“Fresh… malt… sugar for sale… fresh… malt… sugar for sale…” A vendor’s cry suddenly sounds from the village.

Tian Xiaoman jolts awake, and with a sleepy voice, he calls out, “Mother, I want candy…”

Since he is teething, Mother Tian controls his candy intake, fearing it will harm his teeth. Today, she doesn’t want to give him any.

But when she sees his big, watery eyes filled with expectation, she can’t refuse. She thinks to herself that if his father were here, he could be the bad guy and refuse.

Suddenly, a thought flashes in her mind, and she smiles mischievously. “Xiaoman wants candy?”

“Mm!” Tian Xiaoman nods eagerly, swallowing his saliva.

“Then you go buy it yourself,” Mother Tian says with a mischievous smile, handing him two coins from her pouch.

Tian Xiaoman stands frozen in shock as Mother Tian smiles in satisfaction and returns to her corn peeling.

The corn this year has grown wonderfully—large, golden, and plump. She thinks of making corn cakes for Xiaoman later. As she glances up at him, she suddenly realizes he has disappeared!

She drops the corn, rushing outside. When she reaches the gate, she can’t help but laugh. Xiaoman is walking towards the candy vendor, holding the two coins tightly in his hand.

In the end, he does get his candy, and they have found the perfect way to deal with the little lazybones…

Mother Tian snaps back from her memories and sees Tian Xiaoman has already finished two big bowls of porridge and is munching on a pancake.

She can’t help but smile. That silly boy doesn’t understand what real feelings are yet. If he can eat so happily, how can he be heartbroken?