Song Dingxiang [Completed]

C39.2 Gloves. (2)

Chapter 39.2

"Mom, Aunt," Song Dingxiang and Song Zijin announced in unison, their voices carrying a hint of youthful exuberance.

Balanced precariously on their slender shoulders were short wooden poles, from each end of which dangled brimming buckets that swayed gently with their steps. They approached the lotus pond, their figures framed against the backdrop of the burgeoning summer greenery.

As the weather turned hot, the peach blossoms had withered, leaving behind fuzzy little fruits on the trees. The lotus seeds in the pond had sprouted, growing many tender green leaves covering most of the pond. Some even had long stems poking out, revealing tender lotus pods.

During the summer, besides some basic farming activities, most of the men in the village went out to find work, but the men in the Song Xingyi household did not leave. This was because the women were busy knitting, and the men had to take care of the work in the fields.

Normally, weeding and pest control were tasks for the women, but now they had become the responsibility of the men.

There were many people coming and going on the official road, so Fang shi and Zhang shi simply brewed green bean soup and tea at home. The green bean soup, cooled in the well, was carried to the cool pavilion near the lotus pond, and they could sell dozens of copper coins worth in a day.

Zhāng shi and Fāng shi hurried out to meet their daughters and take the shoulder poles off their shoulders.

Fāng shi said, "Quick, Dingxiang, take a look at my gloves, how do they look?"

Sòng Dingxiang, still catching her breath, wiped off the sweat and entered the cool pavilion. Holding Fāng's gloves, she couldn't help but laugh, "Mother, you missed a stitch here, and the fingers are uneven."

Fāng shi sighed, "I've been counting for half a day. Forget it, I'll unravel and start over."

"Mom, who are those people over there?" Sòng Zǐjīn, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

"Who might those people be, stationed on the platform amidst the lotus pond?" Her delicate finger extended, indicating the small gathering of scholars adorned in their scholar robes.

She was also at the age where marriage talks had begun, but she hadn't found anyone suitable yet. Fortunately, she was still young and had a couple more years to make a choice.

Zhāng shi glanced over and said, "A few scholars came from somewhere. They said the scenery here is beautiful and they want to take a look around. They also mentioned planning some poetry and painting event here in a few days. I don't really understand, so I told them to go to the town's academy and speak to your little uncle about it."

These scholars, dressed in long robes, wearing scholar's headgear, exuded a scholarly and refined aura that was completely different from the villagers. Sòng Zǐjīn rarely went out, and the only scholars she had seen were her little uncle and the former Xú Qiáng.

However, her little uncle was exceedingly handsome, raising her aesthetic standards to an unreachable level, so she only gave these scholars a few glances before losing interest.

Song Dingxiang was even less interested, although people in this era all envied scholars, but for her, this group of chatterbox scholars seemed like a group of so-called high school and college students, who had not yet been beaten by society, some not knowing their place, really ignorant.

But those few scholars suddenly became interested when two beautiful young ladies arrived.

"As gentle rain kisses the unfurling lotus leaves, and a soft breeze dances through the weeping willow's silken strands, a serene tranquility washes over the heart. In the garden of life, exquisite beauty invigorates the spirit, while the common man finds solace in its peaceful embrace."