Didn't Know General Was Female Chapter 10

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The Mid-Autumn Festival pa.s.sed, and in the blink of an eye, Zhongli Luo's fifteenth birthday was fast approaching. Rong Jiahui's parents thought of how to do it properly; it was her first birthday since she came to Marquis Zhenguo's residence.

Zhongli Luo wants to turn it down, as her status – in both sentiment and logic – should not be valued like this, but Rong Chen and Mrs. Yu's overbearing att.i.tudes leave others no room to talk, so that door was closed to her.

The helpless Zhongli Luo thinks to go find Rong Jiahui to save the day in a roundabout way, only to find that her seldomly-shut door was also not accepting visitors.

Apparently, she has no choice but to suffer this grace. She just comforts herself that she's the only who who'd know that it'd be the year of the hairpin initiation [1], which would be a big, lively, and noisy scene to handle.

Rong Jiahui didn't miss Zhongli Luo on purpose, though; she's actually preparing a present. This person is likely to not be present to have a birthday here the next year, so it's only natural for her to prepare for this one nice and proper-like, but she didn't have many things she could do. After going back and forth about it, she came up with a good idea: embroidery!

Though her needlework isn't bad, she isn't too fond of the repet.i.tiveness. In her past life, she added in a few of her own st.i.tches to her embroidered wedding dress only after embroideresses had embroidered almost all of it, and her eyes are quickly boiling blind over this now. Ugh, who let her have only this relatively-competent skill? Her painting is something only her dearly-loved papa can subconsciously give her a few words of praise about, as even her teacher gets a headache looking at it, and everything else could just be bought. It really wasn't intentional, but now she can only suffer the bitterness and strain.

On the night of the 12th day of the 9th month, after their family had a day of festive birthday-partying, they each presented their own gifts.

Their family has few members, and they aren't very close to the other blood relations from the paternal side, so apart from the addition of the parents, only Rong Jiahui had something ready.

When her gift was displayed, those few people present all jumped high in severe fright.

Mrs. Yu stared for a long time, and said disbelievingly, “Jiahui, this table screen… you embroidered it?”

Rong Jiahui nodded with her pair of swollen eyelids. “It took me half a month to rush it out. There was too little time, so it's kind of crude. Please don't blame me, Brother Zhongli.”

Zhongli Luo saw that it really was a not-very-refined, but still pretty good-looking table screen, and felt moved. “This… is for me?” She said, incredulous.

Jiahui smiled. “I'm stupid and can't do anything. Only needleworking is something I've learned pretty well. In the future, maybe I could make you… a double-sided embroidered piece.”

Dangerous! Very dangerous! She almost let slip the phrase ‘make you a set of clothes'. She didn't mean anything unusual by it, but those words can't be said arbitrarily. Her embroidering a screen or a little bauble is harmless. If she embroiders some kind of sachet or makes whatever clothes, it wouldn't be socially appropriate. In her past life, she also made clothes for her husband and her in-laws. She was just really lazy with the difficult embroidery of the wedding dress; all the clothes and shoes sent to her husband's family were made by her hands, though she'd never seen them wearing any.

Rong Chen looked at what his own precious daughter had made, and his heart actually ached a bit. “You have such good craftsmanship, yet I've never seen you give Mom and Dad anything embroidered.”

Mrs. Yu endorsed him. “That's right, that's right.”

“I…”

Just when Rong Jiahui didn't know how she should placate her parents, a boyservant came to inform that their home had more guests arrive, rescuing her.

The arrivals are Rong Jiahui's two aunt-in-laws [2], Mrs. Liang of Madam Duke Jingguo's and Mrs. Wen of Madam Imperial College Libationer's side-branch family, together with a few juniors. Everyone is some kind of blood relation, and a bunch of them had probably been wanting to come see them for a long time. It's a coincidence that today is Zhongli Luo's fifteenth birthday, and thus brought along gifts beforehand.

Mrs. Yu has very good relations with these two sisters-in-law, so she hurries to welcome them and their husbands with a smile. Several juniors also rushed over to greet them properly as Aunt and Uncle.

Mrs. Yu has a shallow smile on her jaw. “How polite.”

Jiahui knew he had no idea who these people were, and thereupon smiled and pulled him over. Pointing at the somewhat older, slightly over-plump, and goose-egg-faced Mrs. Liang, she said, “This is my Eldest Auntie, married to my mother's brother.”

Rong Jiahui and Jiaze also rush up, calling out sweetly, “Eldest Auntie, Second Auntie.”

Only Zhongli Luo is still a bit unsure.

Jiahui knew he had no idea who these people were, and thereupon smiled and pulled him over. Pointing at the somewhat older, slightly over-plump, and goose-egg-faced Mrs. Liang, she said, “This is my Eldest Auntie, married to my mother's brother.”

Zhongli Luo clasped his hands in greeting, absently calling out afterwards, “Eldest Aunt.”

He then suddenly reacted, quickly correcting himself, “Madam Yu.”

Seeing his somewhat clumsy appearance, Mrs. Liang is also unable to restrain her smile. “This must be little Young Master Zhongli. You can call me Eldest Aunt like Jiahui and the rest do.”

How could Zhongli Luo dare to claim such a social connection? She can't call her that.

Jiahui then pointed to the somewhat younger, slim-figured, and elegantly-mannered Mrs. Wen. “This is my Second Aunt.”

Zhongli Luo is more prepared this time, courteously calling out, “Second Madam Yu.”

After them are the several male and female maternal cousins of all ages.

Zhongli Luo, with great difficulty, finished recognizing them, and everyone took their seats.

It was just a simple family feast, arranged into three tables. Rong Jiahui and the Yu family's three girls are naturally seated together again. Because of Zhongli Luo, the young sisters actually had something to talk about.

Yu Yimei's eyes are shining. “Cousin, this big brother is even better looking than I imagined.

Jiahui proudly raised her head. “That's what I said.”

Yu Yixiang can't stand seeing her smug, needs-beating look, and can't stop from mumbling about it at the side. “But really, don't you feel he's too elegantly pretty? Like he's actually a good-looking woman.”

Jiahui's proud smile stagnates, and she can't stop from sneering. “Yes yes yes, my Brother Zhongli is much better than your Liu-“

She's barely said the charater Liu when Yu Yixiang firmly covered her mouth.

“MMFFMFMF!” Rong Jiahui, who can't get a word out, hammered one hand on Yu Yixiang's, the other reaching for her hair.

Yu Yimei is a little under two years younger than her, and this is no strange matter at this point. She pushes at the dumbstruck Yu Yilian, and together, with enormous difficult, managed to pry the two apart.

The two were put apart, and after some placating words, they were finally considered to be not making a fuss.

Men and women are seated separately, and right next door, in front of Zhongli Luo's face, are Rong Jiahui's oldest male cousin Yu Zixun, second older cousin Yu Ziqing, and younger cousin Yu Ziyang. She doesn't know what to say.

In contrast, Rong Jiaze is having a great time chatting with a few of them. Seeing that, Zhongli Luo can't help but look at the girls that aren't too far away with longing, really wanting to go stay with them.

Looking at him being in low spirits, and thinking it's no good to be cold to the birthday boy, Yu Zixun picked up a cup of wine and clapped Zhongli Luo on the shoulder. “n.o.ble brother Zhongli, today's your birthday. This fool brother hears that you're attending school these days, so I'll hope that your name gets inscribed on the gold list. [3] Come, I'll pour you a cup. I'll do it first, then you can do it as you please.”

Zhongli Luo looked at the hollow wine cup he held, and can't say a word of refusal. She normally doesn't drink wine, but when others offer it to you, how can it be good to turn it down? She can only be obliged to have a cup, mouth stuffed up with it.

Seeing him giving face like this, and being in the same year as him – just a few months shy of his age – Yu Ziqing isn't willing to fall behind, holding up a wine cup. “Come, Bro Zhongli, I'll pour you a cup too.”

Another one?

Zhongli Luo had to down another cup, the spicy wine churning in her stomach. Her head was also starting to swim a bit, a thin sheen of sweat and a few shade of blush coming up uncontrollably on her face.

Yu Ziyang is young and also wants to join in. As a result, he hadn't even yet picked up the wine cup when Yu Zixun chided, “You're a little kid, like you can drink any wine!”

Yu Zixun then smiled at Zhongli Luo, saying, “I'll pour you a cup on behalf of my little brother, then.”

Zhongli Luo: ……

The few girls at the table over are completely unaware of these things, having a grand old time talking quietly together.

After Yu Yilian snuck a look at the brothers over yonder, she held her face with both hands, saying innocently, “Cousin, that Brother Zhongli of yours is really good-looking. It'd be good if he could be my brother-in-law.”

Jiahui is happy hearing her praise Zhongli Luo's looks, but when she heard the latter part, her smile immediately stiffened.

Rong Jiahui grit her teeth, affectionately patting her on the head. “Third cousin, you mustn't speak nonsense. Your two older sisters are of respectable status as young ladies of a National Duke's residence. Even if they wanted to be his wife, where would his status be worthy of it? Anyways, he's not enough for your big sis to look at.”

Yu Yilian stared and stared. “What about you, Cousin?”

Jiahui choked. “I…”

Does she say that she also has a respectable status? That Zhongli Luo isn't enough for her to look at either? What can she say that won't slap in her in the face sometime in the future…

Not waiting for her to say something, Yu Yixiang has already glumly opened her own mouth. “Your cousin had been promised to another family before she was even born.”

Though Jiahui had been resenting this bunk marriage for a long time now, she had no choice but to smile and nod at this moment. “Right, right.”

Hearing that, Yu Yilian no longer continued to ask about it, instead being interested in eating pastries.

When it was about time that Yu family should return home, the Yu brothers had offered Zhongli Luo several cups of wine and she was already about wasted.

Mrs. Yu's brothers can't help but laugh at her. Such a grown person actually going down from a few cups is really boring.

Rong Jiaze ran to send his cousins off, so here it could be said that the table was empty aside from the lone, drunken Zhongli Luo.

Rong Jiahui looked at his red face and how he was slumped lazily over the table, and was disinclined to bother her parents who were sending the guests off, so she pointed to a few boyservants and maids. “You all are still so slow to carry Young Master Zhongli back.”

Hearing her voice, Zhongli Luo can't help but look over. “Rong Jiahui?”

If he can still recognize her voice right now, then he isn't that drunk. Jiahui smiled, went to his side, and pulled at his hand to help him up.

“Mhm, it's me, Brother Zhongli. I'm having people carry you back to your room.”

Zhongli Luo nods, but, when she helps him get up, it turns out he actually is that drunk. He had just barely stood up when his knees went soft and he collapsed onto her.

Jiahui is a whole head shorter than him, so this sudden drop nearly pushes her down flat. Her roundness from eating seems to be an advantage, because if she were any lighter than the slim Zhongli Luo, she probably would've fallen over.

Zhongli Luo is completely unaware, intimately hooked around Rong Jiahui's neck, head leaning on the top of her shoulder, eyes closed in the hope for sleep.

But he can't sleep here. Rong Jiahui patted his face. “Brother Zhongli, you musn't fall asleep! Get off me, and let go! I'll have the boyservants take you back!

Zhongli Luo obediently opened his eyes, looking unhappy as he mumbled into her ear, “I'm obviously Sister Zhongli.”

Such earth-shattering words only earned an eye-roll from Rong Jiahui. This guy is seriously stupid drunk and playing dumb. You're Sister Zhongli, and I'm Brother Rong, eh?

After she pulled off Zhongli Luo's hand, she waved over the servants. “Young Master Zhongli is pretty drunk, help him back now!”

Zhongli Luo looked at this group of shifty-eyed boys and shook his head. “I don't want them helping me.”

“Fine, I'll get the maids then!”

Zhongli Luo is still shaking his head. “No.”

“Then are you going by yourself?”

Zhongli Luo revealed an excessively stupid smile, and spoke like a spoiled child, “You help me.”

Looking at the elegant youth's red face before her eyes, his smile like the sky clearing up after a rain, Rong Jiahui was stunned, immediately losing her cool. She really owes this guy. “Okay okay okay, you're the birthday star, you're the most important today, you say I'll help you so I'll help you! Come on! Let's go!”

The author said the slice-of-life stuff would end by chapter 10! She lied.

[1] In ancient China, when a girl hits 15 years of age, she switches from her juvenile braided hairstyle to a pinned-up bun to symbolize her marriageable age. The similar ceremony for men is no earlier than 20 and involves a crown instead, coupled with a courtesy name.
[2] Term used here refers to women married to one's maternal uncle.
[3] Refers to making the top ranks in the infamous scholarly imperial examination, though it can just refer plainly to graduating with honors.