Short Story: The Years by the Luo River

The daytime in Chaozhou was the liveliest; when the bustle reached its peak, the streets were filled with streams of people coming and going.

That was also when Liao Liao was happiest. After kneading the dough, she would pull it into thin, long strands, toss them into the pot, and in no time, a steaming hot bowl of noodles was ready.

"Liao Liao, here are the small yellow croakers I just bought at the market. Help your auntie clean them, will you?"

"Sure thing, Aunt Mo. Just have a seat over there." Liao Liao took the small bucket Mo handed her, grabbed the croakers, and began cleaning them with practiced ease.

The little noodle stall was set up in the busiest part of this street, right opposite Furu Tower, the largest inn in Chaozhou. The owner behind Furu Tower was the wealthiest family in Chaozhou, the Jiang Family.

The Jiang Family wasn't just rich; it was said that Madam Jiang’s family back home were high-ranking officials. Her eldest son had even passed the imperial exams the year before last and was now an official in the capital. With a merchant family producing an official, their whole status was elevated. Even the county magistrate had to speak politely to Old Master Jiang.

The second son now managed most of the Jiang Family's business and was a dominant force in the commercial world.

Just then, a young man in fine clothes walked out of the tower, twirling a gold-inlaid folding fan. It was the Jiang Family’s youngest third young master, Jiang Luonian.

Pampered since childhood, he spent his days carousing, playing with insects and betting on birds. He never engaged in any proper work, but was always involved in fights and brawls.

This made him infamous as Chaozhou's most notorious playboy. The locals hardly dared to cross him; they would even flee at his approach, and in private, they'd spit twice and curse a few words.

But Liao Liao never thought he was a bad person. Seeing him walk toward her, she happily waved at him.

"Little Master, you're here!"

"The usual today. Give me a bowl of plain noodles."

Liao Liao happily nodded. "Okay, just let me finish cleaning this fish for Aunt Mo."

Jiang Luonian frowned discontentedly and urged, "Then hurry up."

Aunt Mo, who was standing nearby, walked over timidly and whispered to Liao Liao, "Liao Liao, maybe you should make the noodles for the Third Young Master first!"

"It's okay, Aunt Mo, I'll be quick." Liao Liao, however, didn't mind at all, because she knew the little master had always been a kind-hearted person with a tough exterior. She remembered when she was very young, their little noodle stall was almost swindled away, and it was a then-young Jiang Luonian who stepped in to help her father keep it.

Later on, he often looked after their business, his presence shielding their small stall and preventing any local thugs from daring to bully them. How could someone so good-hearted get angry so easily?

Once the noodles were done, Liao Liao quickly brought them over to Jiang Luonian. He genuinely loved eating noodles from her stall; as soon as he picked up his chopsticks, he began to devour them, eating with obvious relish.

Watching him made Liao Liao even happier, and she went about her tasks with a much lighter step.

"Liao Liao! Liao Liao!" her friend Huan'er came rushing over.

"What's wrong?" Liao Liao smiled at her.

"Your dad is arranging a marriage for you! Hurry back home, I'll watch the stall."

"Ah!" Liao Liao quickly washed her hands and untied her apron, but just as she was about to rush off, someone grabbed her wrist.

"Little Master!" It was Jiang Luonian who had stopped her.

"What marriage arrangement?" he asked in a low voice, his brow furrowed deeply, looking very angry. Huan'er, trembling beside him, answered, "Well... Liao Liao's of age now, so a matchmaker came to her house to propose a match."

Jiang Luonian shot a displeased glance, then turned his head back to stare at Liao Liao and asked, "If you get married, will you still come here to sell noodles?"

Liao Liao tilted her head and thought for a moment before realizing that if she got married, she probably wouldn't be allowed to come out anymore. That meant she would never see the Little Master again. She couldn't help but sigh wistfully and shake her head, replying, "Probably... not anymore!"

"Hmph!" Jiang Luonian snorted coldly, grabbed Liao Liao, and started to leave. Huan'er hurriedly followed behind, shouting anxiously, "Young Master Jiang, Liao Liao's father is still waiting for her to come home to discuss the marriage proposal!"

Jiang Luonian turned his head and made a face, saying fiercely, "Discuss what proposal? You go back and tell her father that I, Jiang Luonian, have taken in this little girl."

"Huh?" Huan'er stood frozen in place, at a loss for what to do.

Liao Liao hadn't expected Jiang Luonian to take her as a concubine just because he liked the noodles she made. But if he wanted to eat her noodles, wouldn't hiring her as a cook be enough? Why make her his concubine?

Liao Liao simply couldn't understand the Little Master's train of thought. Moreover, she heard that her father had knelt outside the Jiang Mansion that day, wailing and crying, causing such a scene that the neighbors all started saying Jiang Luonian was using his family's influence to forcibly take a common girl.

But later, Madam Jiang had called her father inside and properly discussed all the marriage arrangements. Even though it was just as a concubine, she was still formally welcomed into the household afterward. How could that be considered "forcibly taking"?

The rumors grew more and more exaggerated. Liao Liao could only resent the fact that she had already entered the household and couldn't leave the mansion freely, much less go out personally to explain the reasons to those people.

Jiang Luonian himself, however, didn't seem to care at all, as if he was completely indifferent to whatever others said about him. Liao Liao found this quite frustrating.

Although Liao Liao was called Jiang Luonian's concubine, she practically did the work of a maidservant. Every day, she had to stay by his side attending to him: fanning him when he was hot, fetching water when he was thirsty, cooking when he was hungry, and even letting him hold her when he was tired so he could sleep.

Even though it was just holding her, in such sweltering heat, Jiang Luonian didn't seem to mind the warmth, but anyone watching felt unbearably hot on her behalf.

She single-handedly took on the roles of both maidservant and concubine, and sometimes even helped Madam Jiang supervise Jiang Luonian's studies. Nanny Xiang, who served Madam Jiang, often teased her, saying the Jiang Family had bought her for the price of one person but gotten the work of three—a real bargain.

But Liao Liao didn't find any of these tasks troublesome at all. In the Jiang Mansion, she had food, drink, and even people to serve her. Although Jiang Luonian was always ordering her around, each task was actually quite easy. Besides, Jiang Luonian was so good-looking that just seeing him every day put Liao Liao in an incredibly good mood.

However, the Jiang Mansion had been very busy these past few days. Jiang Luonian had reached the age for discussing marriage, and Madam Jiang had recently been meeting with many young ladies, sometimes even calling Liao Liao over to give her opinion.

How could Liao Liao understand such things? Whenever the matchmaker praised those young ladies as being as beautiful as fairies, pure, virtuous, and gentle, Liao Liao would just nod vigorously and say they sounded good. She hadn't seen many noble young ladies, but the young ladies of the Jiang Mansion were indeed each and every one of them dignified and extraordinary, so she figured the young ladies from outside must be just the same.

So, she gathered a pile of portrait miniatures of the young ladies and brought them for Jiang Luonian to look at. Who would have thought that after seeing them, Jiang Luonian would pout with great dissatisfaction?

"They're all so scrawny. Just looking at them is off-putting. Throw them all away."

"Huh? All of them?" Liao Liao was so shocked her mouth hung open. But these were all carefully selected by Madam Jiang! How could they be no good? Unwilling to give up, Liao Liao picked out a few she thought were the prettiest and held them out to Jiang Luonian.

"Young Master, please take another look. This Miss Liu of the Liu family, she's really pretty, and I hear she can play the zither. And this Miss He, look at that figure! She's an excellent dancer too. And also, also..."

"You're so annoying!" In a fit of anger, Jiang Luonian flung all the portraits to the ground. He lowered his head, staring at Liao Liao's little mouth that just wouldn't stop moving, and for some reason, he bit down on it.

"Ah! Young Master, why did you bite me?" Liao Liao asked, feeling terribly wronged.

"If you keep being this annoying, I'll bite you until you can't speak anymore." Jiang Luonian said fiercely. Startled, Liao Liao scooped up the portraits from the floor and hurriedly fled to Madam Jiang's place.

After hearing what happened, Madam Jiang just smiled and didn't blame Liao Liao for failing at her task. She even had Nanny Xiang say a few comforting words to her before seeing her out gently.

It wasn't until she had left that Nanny Xiang voiced the question in her heart.

"With so many fine young ladies, how is it that the young master can't find a single one to his liking?"

Madam Jiang took a sip of tea and set it down calmly. "It's not that he doesn't fancy them; he just has other plans in mind."

The image of Liao Liao, who had just left, immediately flashed through Nanny Xiang's mind.

"But, although Liao Liao comes from a respectable family, her status might still be a bit too humble to be the young mistress of the Jiang Family."

Hearing this, Madam Jiang let out a quiet sigh. "Isn't that what troubles me as well? Back then, when Luonian was kidnapped by bandits and barely escaped, he nearly starved to death. It was that girl Liao Liao who fed him for a few days and kept him alive. I'd been waiting all along for her family to come and ask for a reward, but after all these years, they haven't said a word. They probably never even gave it a thought."

"Liao Liao truly is a kind-hearted child, but..." Although Nanny Xiang was very fond of the girl, she still felt it wasn't quite right.

"But what else can be done? All these years, Luonian refuses to study hard, wastes his days, and has sabotaged so many marriage prospects. What do you think he's really after?"

"This?" Nanny Xiang was utterly bewildered.

Madam Jiang sighed deeply. "Never mind. The day he returned home safely, I made a vow to Buddha: I only wish for him to live a peaceful and smooth life. Regarding the expansion of Liao Liao's family noodle shop, have Manager Feng keep a close eye on it and offer help when appropriate. As for the marriage matter, I need you to put in more thought as well. Of course I want him to be happy, but I absolutely cannot allow him to run wild."

"Yes, Madam."

By the third year after Liao Liao had entered the Jiang Mansion, the number of engagements Jiang Luonian had wrecked had piled up again. He had deliberately made a scene with each family, creating bad blood, and now no one dared to marry their daughter into the Jiang Family to be the Third Young Mistress.

However, business at Liao Liao's family noodle shop was getting better and better. Her father now had more and more silver on hand and no longer handled many things personally. The shop had hired a new manager and some helpers. Before the New Year, he had even adopted a younger cousin from their hometown, and now he was keeping the boy at home to study and learn his characters. He seemed quite well-behaved.

Every time Liao Liao went home, her mood would lift considerably, simply because the atmosphere in the Jiang Mansion had grown increasingly tense over the past two years. Her young master seemed to have made up his mind firmly and, no matter what, refused to agree to any of the marriages Madam arranged for him.

Take today, for instance: Squire Huang from the next street had people carry the betrothal gifts back again, saying he couldn't afford to be connected to the Jiang Family. Word was the young master had taken some men to 'accidentally' run into Squire Huang's daughter on the road. Not only did he publicly mock her appearance, but he even had people make up a song about her for the bored street kids to chant all over town.

What the young master did was truly excessive. Liao Liao heard the news while at home and rushed straight back.

As soon as she arrived, the servants told her the young master had been summoned by Madam. Liao Liao's heart pounded with nervousness, and she hurried over to Madam's courtyard.

"Nanny Xiang!" Seeing Nanny Xiang also standing outside the room, Liao Liao's worry deepened. "Is Madam very angry?"

She tightly clutched the silk handkerchief in her hand, straining her ears to catch any sound from inside.

Nanny Xiang turned her head to look at her, patting her head reassuringly with a gentle smile. "Don't worry. No matter what, they are mother and son. What kind of grudge can last between them? They'll be fine in a moment."

"R-really?"

Inside the room, Jiang Luonian stood obediently before Madam Jiang, head bowed in a picture-perfect posture of receiving a lecture. The floor was littered with shattered porcelain from a teacup, and Madam Jiang simply watched him with a cold, silent expression.

Neither spoke a word, a tense atmosphere flowing quietly between the mother and son.

After who knows how long, it was ultimately the mother who conceded first. She let out a soft, melancholic sigh and asked quietly, "How is the noodle shop business these days?"

Jiang Luonian knew he had won. He broke into a radiant smile and replied, "We're about to open a third small shop now. Also, I had my father-in-law purchase a few more stores. I plan to try some other ventures."

Madam Jiang snorted coldly. "You certainly have a talent for business. Why don't you put more thought into planning for your own family's affairs?"

"Mother, Second Brother manages the Jiang Family's businesses quite well, doesn't he? Why should I meddle? Isn't it perfectly fine for me to live a carefree, leisurely life?"

Jiang Luonian's utterly indifferent attitude left Madam Jiang feeling utterly helpless. She gazed wistfully at her beloved youngest son, the one she had doted on since he was a child, and finally had to admit defeat.

"Fine, fine. If you like it this much, what can I, as your mother, do about it? Pick an auspicious day and have the wedding ceremony."

Jiang Luonian could no longer conceal his joy. He immediately bounded over and hugged his mother. "Mother, I knew you were the best to me!"

Liao Liao, who was nervously waiting outside the door, was suddenly scooped up by Jiang Luonian as he burst out of the room. She shrieked in fright, her arms locking tightly around his neck.

"Ah~~~!"

"Help! Young Master, put me down! It's so high! Wuwuwu~"

Jiang Luonian paid no heed, playfully tossing her a little as he carried her all the way back to his own courtyard. The startled servants stared wide-eyed and scrambled out of the way. Their young master had gone mad again!

Liao Liao had just returned from buying groceries outside. The family business was doing better and better, and every time she went home, her father would stuff a lot of silver into her hands. Since she ate and lived at the Jiang Mansion, she usually had little need to spend money.

However, the young master particularly loved her cooking. So, she had specifically gone to the market to buy a fresh, large fish, wanting to prepare a special meal for him.

The moment she stepped through the gate, she saw Jiang Luonian, dressed in a set of bright red wedding robes, walking towards her. The festive red made his skin look fair, his features handsome, his eyes bright, and his brows elegant—truly a sight to behold.

Liao Liao stared at him, her face flushing unconsciously. It took her a good while to remember she should say something.

"Young Master, the wedding robes are settled then. What about the bride's? Oh, right, you still haven't told me who the bride is." Liao Liao had been busy with wedding preparations lately. It was said the young master had already chosen someone and would be getting married soon.

Logically, she should be happy now that she was free of this duty. But actually seeing Jiang Luonian in those wedding robes, for some reason, a faint pang of sourness tugged at her heart.

Jiang Luonian let out a cold snort and looked at her. "Silly girl, who else would be willing to marry me now? You heartless little thing, who else could I marry but you?"

Liao Liao pointed at herself, utterly astonished. "Me? But I'm already..."

"That previous time didn't count. This time is the real wedding." Jiang Luonian, for some reason, was blushing furiously all over his face.

Liao Liao worriedly reached up to touch his forehead, but it didn't feel very hot. Jiang Luonian grabbed her hand and pulled her into his embrace.

"Liao Liao, your young master here can't find a wife. So my mother said that from now on, you'll be my wife."

Liao Liao's eyes flew wide open in disbelief. Catching her shocked yet adorable expression, Jiang Luonian reached out and tapped the tip of her nose, then suddenly leaned in and rubbed it against hers.

"What's there to be surprised about? Your young master has been planning this for years. You didn't actually think I'd end up unable to find a wife, did you?"

"Young Master," Liao Liao murmured, her voice thick with emotion. Her eyes glistened with tears as her small hands clutched tightly at the front of his robe, and she suddenly burrowed into his chest.

Jiang Luonian chuckled and wrapped his arms firmly around her. They held each other in silence for a long while until, without warning, he swept her up into his arms.

"Come on, let me help you try on the wedding robes."

For some reason, Liao Liao felt something was off about that statement. Her face flushed crimson as she lay in his arms, unable to bring herself to refuse.

In broad daylight, the pale pink bed curtain suddenly dropped. Shy, flustered sounds drifted from the room, startling the passing maids, who quickly grabbed their things and fled from the quiet, elegant courtyard.

Leaving behind only a trail of tinkling laughter that faded into the distance.