Xiao Qi, Wait!

Chapter 1: Qian Xiaoqi, Wait

Song fu (residence) wasn't large, but it was very exquisite.

It had a dark red entrance, and right after you walked in, there was an expansive corridor. It was linked to a moderately wide road that was paved with little green bricks leading directly into the second courtyard. This front courtyard didn't count as empty; right now both sides of the little green road were flanked by wintergreen and crimson Chinese roses. The Dragon Boat Festival had recently passed, so it was another blooming season for the roses. The fiery blossoms looked very warm and exuberant.

The reason this courtyard appeared empty was due to the fact that there were few people in it. Other than the napping manservant sitting in front of the courtyard entrance, there was not a second person to be found.

In comparison, the second courtyard was quite a bit livelier. Right after you enter the small doors you could see, in the west area of the courtyard, two older female servants hanging up laundry as they occasionally exchanged a few words.

There was the sound of someone speaking coming from the central room. If you listened carefully, there was even the 'kalack' sound of cracking melons seeds.

"At that time, Miss was only fifteen and guye(way to refer to someone's husband) had just arrived in our Tongxu county to take over the position of county head magistrate. The entire way here, he rode a large horse while wearing the red robe of the top scorer. On his head he wore an official's black hat; he was extremely impressive. Guye's appearance was so fair and refined. In that one parade, he caused quite a few Young Madams and Misses to collapse from over-excitement and infatuation."

"Even Madams got infatuated?" A girl in a pinkish purple garment cracked melon seeds as she asked.

"Yes! Why wouldn't they be?! Quite a few Madams even threw flowers from the second story of the teahouse ne! At that time ah, Miss was sitting by the second story window next to the Flourishing Cauldron Teahouse. This seat was only obtained by Miss after Miss spent ten times the cost in silver to win the bid. Several Misses from rich families had become green with envy." The girl in servant's attire pouted, looking as if she felt personal pain.

"And then?"

"And then Miss just tugged at me and yelled, "'Ah! Lu Liu, Lu Liu! Look, look! He just smiled at me'."

The girl who was cracking the melon seeds suddenly had a violent coughing fit. The little maid hurriedly ran behind her and gave a forceful pat to her back. Following that, with a gigantic cough, a grain of melon seed flew from the girl's mouth. It bounced twice on the round wooden black lacquered table before coming to a stop.

The girl rubbed her throat as she took a drink with a pained face from the tea the servant had passed over.

"And then?"

"And then Miss started liking guye and pursued him for a full two years ah. Miss climbed up early every morning to wait at the entrance of the government office. When guye arrived at the government office doors right at a quarter after six, Miss would hand over the soy milk and baked sesame seed-coated cakes that Miss brought with her."

"He took them?"

"But he didn't ne, they were all passed off to the Advisor Lu next to him. Guye didn't take them ah. At first, he declined politely and said he already ate, but later he just directly passed by Miss to enter the government office. But Miss still, with one wait, waited two years ah. No matter how hot the blazing sun was, Miss didn't miss a single day."

"At six in the morning, there's no blazing sun."

"Oh, no matter how much wind or rain there was, Miss didn't miss a single day. At that time, there were still a lot of little Misses who were prettily dressed hovering around the government office doors, hoping that our family's guyewould glance at them. Sadly, guye didn't even look directly at them even once. Tsk tsk, he really is a good guye," the maid sighed as she praised.