Spring and Autumn's Dream Chapter 3

When the news of the King of Yue, Kai Xuan's victory had been spread all over, Xiang Bao was lying on the front desk, sleeping very soundly.

"How idle ah," someone had sounded out by the side of her ear.

Xiang Bao very dazedly opened her eyes, but only saw a big contorted face. It had frightened her and in the next moment, she sent a slap to that face.

Wen Zhong's face was twitching, he couldn't believe that he had actually gotten slapped by this ugly girl.

Only then did Xiang Bao realise that the two people standing in front of her were Wen Zhong and Fan Li. As for her, she had actually fell asleep at the front desk. Thank G.o.d Madam Gan did not see her or else, she would been starved again.

Thinking of getting starved, Xiang Bao smelt the smell of osmanthus cake. She sniffed as she instinctively moved towards the scent.

It smells so good………

When she raised her head, all she saw was a pair of eyes, crinkled with laughter.

Oh, it's Fan Li.

A breeze blew past as Fan Li raised his white coloured sleeve. Xiang Bao could only watch dazedly.

"Come back to your senses, come back to your senses," Wen Zhong waved his hands in front of her face in an untactful manner.

Xiang Bao came back to her senses and stared at him with gritted teeth.

Fan Li's amus.e.m.e.nt increased even more.

Wen Zhong was frightened by Xiang Bao's fervent glare and as for Fan Li, he could only try to keep his laughter down. He looked at Xiang Bao's antic.i.p.ating face and smiled, placing a osmanthus cake on the front desk.
"This is for me?!" Xiang Bao exclaimed excitedly.

Fan Li nodded his head.

"Wah, you're so nice," Xiang Bao complemented generously.

Fan Li couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Where's Mo Li?" Wen Zhong asked.

Xiang Bao who was having a bit of difficulty stuffing her cheeks with cake was much too lazy to care about Wen Zhong.

"Where is Mo Li?"Wen Zhong's fan then proceeded to knock her head.

Xiang Bao straightened her neck, swallowed all the cake in her mouth and steadily stared at him.

Wen Zhong raised his hands to express his surrender, "Lady Xiang Bao, where is your sister?"

Xiang Bao reached her out and gestured a 'three'.

Wen Zhong's head was filled with question marks.

"Give me three coins and I'll tell you," Xiang Bao bared her teeth.

"You're robbing me!" Wen Zhong cried out.

"If you don't want to give, then forget it."

Wen Zhong grinded his teeth, took out three coins and placed them on her cake covered hand.

Xiang Bao kept the coins with brightly shining eyes before pointing to her back, "She's at the courtyard where I had last brought the two you. You can go there yourself."

Wen Zhong was fuming and he had to control himself so that he wouldn't end up beating someone up. He turned around and left for the courtyard.

Xiang Bao was satisfied, turned around and looked at Fan Li with calculative eyes.

"Yi? Are you not going? I won't take your money," Xiang blinked her eyes as she swallowed another mouthful of the osmanthus cake.

Fan Li yet again smiled.

Looking at that gentle smile, Xiang Bao seemed as if she had lost her senses and looked at him in a daydream.

From that day, Wen Zhong had almost every single day came to Liu Jun Zui and he would always request lady Mo Li. Thus, the whole of Liu Jun Zui knew that this gentle, talented and handsome young man was infatuated with Mo Li.

As for Xiang Bao, she was hooked on the man who very much reminded her of the wind. Not because of any other reason but the fact that this young man would always bring food for her to eat……..

Spring truly has arrived.

The light of the spring is truly splendid.

The moon was covered as the night was hung high, there was no one around anywhere.

Xiang Bao very secretively and suspiciously rushed out from her room and very quietly ran towards the big tree that grew beside the stable. She arrived underneath and started to dig a hole. After Wen Zhong became infatuated with Mo Li, she had unconsciously turned into a small wealthy woman.

With the corners of her lips tugged up, Xiang Bao laughed with a 'hei hei' as she dug the hole.

Inside the hole was a small box and in that box was money and also the silver hairpin that Mo Li had given here. Counting the money, she found out she already had thirty two coins.

There was this one time when Chun Xi had woken up in the middle of the night only to see Xiang Bao laughing while digging a hole. Chun Xi got frightened too much and fell sick the next day.

Xiang Bao did not care and unchangingly continued to dig the whole every single night. Counting money became her life's most delightful pleasure.

Hugging the box, Xiang Bao smiled with eyes like mice. She could already see her lifelong dream waving at her ah.

Shen then very reluctantly put the box to where it was before and started to fill the dirt back in the hole.

"What are you doing?" Someone had asked from behind.

"Filling the hole with dirt," Xiang Bao answered.

"What are you doing that for?" the person continued to ask.

"To bury my treasures," Xiang Bao continued to answer.

"Burying your treasure for what?"

"I'm scared they'll get stolen……who?!" Xiang Bao jumped up, startled. She turned her body, "Ah?! It's you!" Xiang Bao was startled. There is this saying, 'when enemies meet, their eyes would blaze in anger and hatred' (仇人相见分外眼红). This fellow still dared to willingly come to her!

It was that stupid red-clothed thief! He was the ultimate criminal who had stolen her money and was to blame for her starvation punishment and her having to give money to Madam Gan.

"Thief! What are you doing here?!"

"Chou ba guai (ugly), why can't I be here?"

"I am not a Chou ba guai!"

"Nah… giving it back to you." He raised his hand and elegantly threw a bag of something to Xiang Bao.

It looked very familiar! It's her wallet! She opened it up to count the money. The first time, he had stolen ten coins while the second time, he had stolen seven coins. In total, there was seventeen coins, not one was missing.

Xiang Bao looked at the boy doubtingly, under bright moonlight, she saw that his face had been beaten up. It was so swollen, like a pig.
"He!" Xiang Bao was startled, "What happened to your face?"

"I fell down."

"Really?" Xiang Bao looked him up and down, to fall down to this state was truly remarkable.

"What need do I have to lie to you," the young man said impatiently with furrowed eyebrows.

Xiang was didn't bother to care about him, she kept her wallet before pushing him aside to go back to her own room.

She just lightly pushed him but with a 'peng', that fellow just collapsed without any indication. He had lost consciousness completely.

"Don't try to play dead, I didn't even touch you!" Xiang Bao used her leg to kick him.

He wasn't moving, didn't even stir.

"Get up!"

He just won't move.

He's not dead right? Xiang Bao worriedly bent down by his side to check his breathing. If he were to die, what would she do……..

Thank G.o.d, thank G.o.d he's still alive.

Xiang Bao patted her stomach as she stood up, wanting to leave.

"Mother………"

There was a very feeble whisper.

Xiang Bao's feet halted on the ground as her fists clenched. Aiya! He's really breathing.

You know what, it's not her business. Don't try to be a busybody and meddle with other people's affairs. What remains unseen is deemed to be clean.

But……….
Grinding her teeth, disparagingly turned her head, picked up his legs and dragged him into the firewood storage room. On the way, Xiang Bao purposely picked a road that was b.u.mpy and full of holes as a way of venting anger. She walked on a road that was not flat at all.

'Ke ke, peng peng', it was with great difficulty that Xiang Bao finally managed to drag him into the storage room and lit the light. Xiang Bao looked at the battered and exhausted person lying on the floor with a little guilt.

It's not her fault……her strength had limits…..

She spread some dried gra.s.s on the floor and put his body on top of it. Then, she proceeded to wet and cloth and wiped the dirt off his face.

His face was blue and purple, his lips were split and there was a part of his face that was swollen. This guy had such a beautiful face but got bashed till he looked like pig. Just who in the world did this guy offend, to have gotten him beat up to this state.

"Mother……" With closed eyes, his long eyelashes casted a small shadow on his eyes, with a crinkled forehead, he softly murmured.

Xiang Bao gasped and groaned, just what sins ahd she committed ah.

She touched his forehead and found out that he had a fever.

"I wonder if his body has any other injuries." With furrowed eyebrows, Xiang Bao undid his clothing.

Looking at his pale and skinny body, Xiang Bao huffed out a cold breath, her hands trembled as the cloth fell from it.

That kind of thin and weak body and yet it had new wounds covering layers of old wounds. His whole body unexpectedly did not have even a patch of perfect skin.

"Mother… mother…"

Xiang Bao helplessly reached out her hands, "Don't move."

His hands which were warm from the fever touched Xiang Bao's hand. He held her hand as his tight lips eased up a little and he didn't move any longer.
Xiang Bao wanted to take her hand back but found that it was to no avail because the moment her hand moved, his face would turn painful. Xiang Bao just couldn't bare to move her hand anymore.

Who in the world is he? And who was the person who had hurt him?

Xiang Bao tossed and turned for one whole night and was only able to close her eyes to rest when dawn arrived.

She felt the hand that she held slowly loosen as she opened her eyes to look at him, "Are you alright?'

"Heng," he lightly responded.

Xiang Bao was stupefied before rolling her eyes at him, "And who was it who just yesterday pitifully clutched onto my hand and refused to let go. Not to mention also crying mother….."

He was stumped for words, his face turning red.

"What's your name?" Xiang Bao asked, striking the iron while it's hot.

"Wei Qin." He spoke out before slapping a hand against his mouth, staring at Xiang Bao with a red face. It seemed like he was upset at his obedient behaviour.

Xiang Bao couldn't help but laugh, raising her hand to touch his forehead. She didn't know why she felt like teasing him, "You have to be good, mother will bring some food for you to eat."

"Stupid brat! Don't spout nonsense," he, as expected, got angry.

"Why steal my wallet?" Xiang Bao's smile did not vanish but she had asked very seriously.

He stubbornly flung his head back, ignoring her.

Xiang Bao did not insist any further. She stood up and walked towards the kitchen, "Wait a while, I'll go find something for you to eat."

With much difficulty, Xiang Bao finally found some leftover food. But when Xiang Bao walked back to the storage room with the food, that fellow was already gone!

This guy really did not know how to be grateful.

She put the food down, sat cross-legged before enjoying the food herself. Even though they are leftovers, the taste is still not bad.

When Xiang Bao went back into her room, she saw Mo Li sitting inside, waiting for her.

"Xiang Bao, where do you go last night?"

"Err, yesterday's moon was very beautiful, I couldn't sleep so…..I went to see the moon."

Mo Li looked at her, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Xiang Bao hid inside her room, laughing while keeping the seventeen coins to herself. She had earned seventeen coins in just a blink of an eye, so why go against it?

Her dreams…..her hopes ah……..

Her future……her life ah……..

Lying on the bed, Xiang Bao looked at the wallet with a stupid smile but in her midst of happiness, she noticed that the wallet was a little damaged. Not to mention, it was dirty and had even been tainted will a bit of blood.

That guy…..was he called Wei Qin? Even in his dreams he would call out for his mother.

Turning over, Xiang Bao lied down and closed her eyes.

She was starting to get drowsy when suddenly raucous noise drifted in from outside. Xiang Bao got up for the bed and walked out curiously, "Sis, why is it so noisy and bustling?"

"It's nothing, just a new lady who just arrived." Mo Li who was sewing a cloth raised her head up to smile, "Come, try this on. See if it fits."

"It's only spring, why did you already make winter clothes?" Xiang Bao blinked, walking to Mo Li to let her try it on.

"I have to sew it till it's thick. That way, when winter arrives, our lazy Xiang Bao wouldn't be afraid of the cold," Mo Li laughed, pinching Xiang Bao's nose.
Xiang Bao scrunched up her nose, laughing.

"Mo Li, come, come and meet the new sister," Madam Gan's loud voiced rung out from the door. The person haven't arrived but the voice had already.

Mo Li let go of the winter clothes in her hand and stood up.

Xiang Bao also curiously scuttled to the door and saw Madam Gan holding onto a girl and walking into the courtyard. Xiang Bao thought for a very long time before thinking of a phrase. Really……delicate as a flower, precious as a jade.

"This is Bai Hua House's lady Qiu Xue," Madam Gan introduced, smiling till her eyes looked like fish eyes.

Xiang Bao came to a sudden realization, so this was the guest that Chun Xi was talking about.

"Lady Qiu Xue," Mo Li smiled, nodding her head as greetings.

"Pleasure, sister Mo Li," Qiu Xue said in a light voice. Her character weak, delicate and touching,

Madam Gan looked left and right, a pair of jades, she smiled till her eyes couldn't be seen, only her teeth. It was as if she had a seen two gold emitting money trees.

Xiang Bao stared at Qiu Xue, eyes similar to madam Gan's. Money tree ah, if in the future she herself could have such a money tree, that would be so nice.

Madam Gan looked on, contented, turned around and saw Xiang Bao smiling a foolish smile. How irksome.

After being shooed away by Madam Gan, Xiang Bao had just walked out the courtyard when she saw Ah Fu standing by the door. Previously because Mo Li didn't allow Xiang Bao to escort lady Qiu Xue, Madam Gan had Ah Fu and another servant to go on the trip.

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"Brother Ah Fu? You're back!" Xiang Bao ran towards the door.

Ah Fu turned around with a silly smile, "En, I just returned from fetching Madam Gan."

"Hehe, lady Qiu Xue is a beauty right?" Xiang Bao smiled naughtily.

Ah Fu's face turned red.

"Haha, did you fall for her?" Xiang Bao laughed.

"I feel that… you are prettier than her," Ah fu choked up after some time.

"Huh?" Xiang Bao subconsciously raised her hand to touch her red birthmark, her face turned a little dark His esthetic conception….is really different from the norm.

That night, Liu Jun Zui was unordinarily bustling because the news of Lady Qiu Xue's arrival had been spread a month before. Xiang Bao was very busy pouring wine, so busy till her four legs were facing the sky.

"Today, Official Fan will come….." one of the ladies quietly whispered.

"There is also Sir Wen…." Chun Xi said.

"Ah, I am so envy of sister Mo Li ah….Sir Wen has an eye for her, if she were to be with Sir Wen in the future, how good would that be……"

"Serve the wine!" Someone shouted loudly.

Too busy to listen to gossip, Xiang Bao responded before continuing pouring wine.

Suddenly, her waist was tightened and with a 'WA YA', Xiang Bao was hugged and dragged down.

"I haven't seen this young lady here before ah……" the man laughed, his breath filled with the scent of alcohol.

Xiang Bao was placed on the man's thigh, her whole body filled with gooseb.u.mps. She struggling to get away from his grip.

"Don't move, come… let me take a good look at you…"

"Let go of her!" Out of nowhere, Ah Fu rushed out.

That man had the back of a tiger and the waist of a bear, he was strong and bulky. Intoxicated, he stood up and pushed Ah Fu to the ground. Hugging Xiang Bao, wanting to take her up.
"Let go of her!" Ah Fu shouted anxiously, standing up, he pulled on the man's clothes.

That big leg was raised and very easily, Ah Fu was kicked to the side.

Xiang Bao who was being held by the waist felt very dizzy, "Let go! Can't you see the way I look! Looking like this, you still have an appet.i.te for me!"

Everyone looked over and only saw an intoxicated and drunk man hugging an ugly girl looking like he had a desire to molest. The whole room couldn't help but roar with laughter.

In midst on dancing gracefully, Qiu Xue saw that the audience was in catastrophe. No one was looking at her dance. She couldn't help but reveal an annoyed and displeased face.

Xiang Bao was filled with sweat, this guy just had to be drunk till his eyes were hazy, unable to see how she looked like. Not to mention, that smelly mouth coming to kiss her.

Ah Fu tightly clenched his fists, grinding his teeth, he left to find Mo Li.

Sweat on Xiang Bao's forehead and sripped down to the left side of her face, dripping on her hand, the droplet had actually been dyed red. Xiang Bao's heart skipped a beat, the scene has gone out of control. She was so angry that she started to cry out loudly.

"Brother, can you put this young lady down?" A gentle voice sounded out.

That stupid drunk wasn't able to even hear, all he cared about was to cause a scene.

"Brother, can you put this young lady down?" The voice still sounded gentle.

That stupid drunk remained the same, unchanging.

"Brother, please pardon me for my rudeness……"

Straight after, with a 'peng', that drunk was sent flying, landing on the hard wall and then losing complete consciousness.

Xiang Bao stably landed on a warm embrace which was somewhat carrying a sweet scent.

"Shao Bo (Fan Li), your move was too cruel," Wen Zhong said coldly, shaking his feathered fan.

"Ah? Oh~ I'm sorry," Fan Li apologised courteously.

Everyone was laughing till their sides were splitting.

"Who dares to cause trouble!" Madam Gan shouted out aggressively and angrily with both hands on her waist.

"Xiang Bao!!! It's you again!" Madam Gan shouted out, like letting out a whirlwind.

Xiang Bao shrunk in.

"My Xiang Bao, what happened?" Mo Li had just arrived and saw that the scene was in catastrophe. She frowned, her eyebrows slowly knitting.

"Ah ah, it's nothing, it's nothing. It's just that someone got drunk," Wen Zhong said, beaming as he looked at Mo Li.

Seeing that Wen Zhong had spoken, Madam Gan immediately changed her face and ordered people to drag that drunk out and with a smile, greeted Wen Zhong.

In an instant, the music started playing again as if celebrating peace with songs and dances. Everything turned happy and harmonious.

"Xiang Bao, come down already!" Madam Gan loudly scolded, seeing Xiang Bao still dazedly lying in Fan Li's embrace.

In the next second, Xiang Bao touched her cheek and her hand turned dark red. She hurriedly locked herself into Fan Li's embrace.

Fan Li tilted his head down to look at Xiang Bao before he carried her and left the scene.

"Official Fan!" Mo Li cried out, shocked.

"It's okay, it's okay," Wen Zhong comforted.

In such a public place filled with numerous people, Fan Li had carried Xiang Bao away from Liu Jun Zui.

All of the ladies in Liu Jun Zui felt their hearts break. They just couldn't understand why the great official Fan Li of the Yue country would fancy that ugly brat.