Chapter 3: Lament of the Spring Boudoir

  Xiao Shunzi and Cao Tou She left, Xiao Huji was also sent back to sleep by Liu Cuicui. The large hall was left with only her alone, the shadow of a solitary lamp, looking very lonely. She didn't know what she was waiting for, nor did she know if this wait was worth it. Maybe just like Cao Tou She said, others have already gone back to being young masters.

  Let's take a step back, even if Kuai Liqiang comes back, the two of them are now in different social classes, and you're still a widow, what could be the outcome? Moreover, although I've been very friendly to him on a daily basis, Kuai Liqiang just doesn't respond, they don't even have the kind of playful banter that couples usually have, let alone anything else.

  She sat stupidly for about an hour or so, her mind racing with random thoughts, when suddenly a knock at the door came from outside.

  Liu Cuicui's heart skipped a beat as soon as she heard the knock on the door: Could it be that rascal returning? She stood up to open the door, hesitated for a moment and sat back down. It wasn't until the knocking sound came again, accompanied by a sentence "I'm back, please open the door" that Liu Cuicui went to open the door.

  "You're not asleep yet?" Kuai Liqiang smiled and greeted as he entered the door. When he smiled, his two rows of snow-white teeth were revealed. It seems that brushing his teeth twice a day, morning and night, was still effective. Liu Cuicui used to not brush her teeth either, only using salt water or tea to rinse her mouth. Since Kuai Liqiang came, she also bought toothbrushes and tooth powder back. If it coincided with her son Zhao Zhongde being on vacation at home, everyone would see the three of them spitting white foam together by the well early in the morning, just like a family of three. Unfortunately, with a mouthful of white foam, it was not convenient for Liu Cuicui to say anything, even if she wanted to tease him a bit.

  Liu Cuicui saw Kuli Qiang entering and wanting to go to the backyard, so she hurriedly stopped him. Kuli Qiang turned his head and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something else?"

  Liu Cuicui pulled over a stool and said, "You sit down first, sister has something to say to you. First, let's make one thing clear, I'll talk and you're not allowed to get angry."

  Kui Li sat down and said: "Cui Jie, if you have something to say, just say it quickly. I'm leaving early tomorrow."

  "Leave?" Although she had mentally prepared herself, when Kuai Liqiang said he was leaving, Liu Cuicui's heart still skipped a beat. "Is it because you think my sister's place is not good?...But it's not too bad. It's not as comfortable as going back to being a young master."

  Ku Liqiang smiled and said: "What? You already know?"

  "Hmm." Liu Cuicui suddenly became elegant and refined after speaking with Kulisheng, completely different from her usual self. "Just now Cao Tou She and Xiao Shunzi told me."

  Kulaiqiang bitterly smiled and said: "I'm going to leave, but I won't go back to being a young master of the Labor God Temple. I'll return to my hometown in Ugly Country instead. That's where I grew up."

  "America? ... No wonder there are foreign books in your house... But America... That's so far away... What are you going to do there? You're not trying to trick me, are you?" Liu Cuicui was getting a bit incoherent, although it seemed that Suffering Strong must leave without a doubt, but thinking that he would actually go so far away increased her sense of loss even more.

  "Why would I cheat you?" Ku Liqiang laughed and said: "I went to Japan when I was less than 14 years old, grew up there, and came back less than two years ago. Thanks for taking care of me during this time, you should also rest early tonight." Ku Liqiang stood up and wanted to leave.

  "Ah…… don't go……" Liu Cuicui, seeing Kulaiqiang wanting to leave, couldn't help but feel embarrassed, stepped forward and grabbed his hand, then immediately realized it was inappropriate and quickly pulled back, sneaking a glance at Kulaiqiang's expression which didn't seem unusual, before softly saying: "I still have something to say, I haven't finished yet."

  "Come on, say it quickly, I still have to pack my luggage."

  Liu Cuicui looked like a child who had done something wrong and said: "It's my fault, you weren't home when I didn't help you keep watch, your house was burglarized... You stay for a few more days, I've already reported it to Director Bai, but we really can't catch the thief... How much money was lost, I'll compensate you."

  Ku Liqiang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said: "No need to compensate you, that's not a thief. It might be someone from my family."

  "Isn't it a thief? Someone from home?" Liu Cuicui looked at Kulaiqiang in disbelief.

  Ku Liang laughed and said, "It's the same as before, just wanting to cut off my financial resources. I blame myself for buying a second-class cabin ticket, otherwise I would have left early. Never mind, anyway I still have to leave tomorrow, so these things don't matter."

  Liu Cuicui said with concern: "You've lost all your money on the road from poverty to wealth, how will you go on?"

  Kulaiqiang stood up again and said: "I've always divided the money into two parts, the remaining bit of money should be enough to buy a steerage ticket to Chugoku."

  Liu Cuicui really didn't want to let Kuai Liqiang go, but after a while she said: "Actually... actually... what's wrong with going back and being your young master?"

  Kui Liang smiled and said: "You won't understand. Good night, get some rest." Then he took two steps back before turning around and leaving.

  "Hey... aren't you going to take a bath? There's still hot water in the pot, and you've been running around outside all day..."

  Kuliang said: "If it's convenient, take a bath. I'll go to the kitchen to fetch water later. You can rest early."

  After the bitter struggle, Liang Qiang walked away, and Liu Cuicui relit the fire and boiled water. In fact, there was no more hot water left.

  Two large buckets were burned. Liu Cuicui thought for a moment, pushed out the wooden bucket she used to take a bath, adjusted the water temperature to be suitable, and then went to find Kuai Liqiang.

  Kuliang had already packed his luggage, which was quite simple, just a bag of clothes and a bag of books.

  Liu Cuicui said with a hint of shyness to Kuai Liqiang: "The water is ready, you can go to the kitchen to wash up, and you can use my bathtub."

  Kuliang said: "No need for such trouble, I can just wipe it clean in this room."

  Liu Cuicui was afraid he wouldn't go, so she said: "I've already prepared the water... you're leaving tomorrow, so take a good bath today."

  Ku Liqiang didn't decline, saying it was just a courtesy. He said okay and followed Liu Cuicui to the kitchen. He knew he had received special treatment today. The bathtub, except for Liu Cuicui and her son, had never been used by anyone else before.

  Kuliang tried the water temperature with his hand and said with satisfaction: "Just right!" Then he took off his undershirt, but only halfway through, felt something was wrong, turned his head to look back, and found that Liu Cuicui had not left yet, her eyes staring straight at him, almost spitting fire.

  Ku Liqiang had never taken off his undershirt in front of others, because on his back were countless scars from past years. He didn't want to explain this to anyone, so he said: "Cui Jie, I'm going to take a bath." After saying it several times, Liu Cuicui finally responded with an "oh" as if waking up from a dream. But after turning around and walking a few steps, her mind was filled with the image of Ku Liqiang's robust back covered in scars. She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and somehow found the courage to turn around and walk back, tightly hugging Ku Liqiang's bare back from behind, feeling the scars on his skin as she said: "I don't care."

  Ku Liqiang put his hand on Liu Cuicui's hand and applied a little force, but couldn't pry it open. He said: "Sister Cui, what are you doing?"

  Liu Cuicui suddenly felt a sour nose and choked up when speaking: "I don't care, take me away, wherever you go, I'll follow you, even if it's for food."

  Kui Liangqiang gently patted her hand and said: "Cui Jie, don't be like this, calm down."

  Liu Cuicui said: "I don't care anymore. Anyway, this family property belongs to the Zhao surname. At most, I won't want it. Anyway, it's not mine."

  Ku Liqiang said: "What about Xiao Dezhi? You don't care about him either?"

  Said Xiao Dezi, Liu Cuicui hesitated for a moment, then slowly let go of Kulaiqiang and fell silent.

  Ku Liqiang turned around to find that Liu Cuicui had already shed tears all over her face. He lovingly helped her wipe away the tears and said softly, "Go get a good rest, tomorrow everything will be different."

  Liu Cuicui wiped away her tears and left.