The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 71
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 71
”Hmph. That’s a lie.”
“Huh?”
This was what Lüli said to Xie Baowei, who was quickening his pace.
She glanced sideways at Hwangbo Yeonghil with a sidelong look.
“Grandfather being sick.”
Her voice wasn’t exactly quiet.
Hwangbo Yeonghil kept his mouth tightly shut and only looked straight ahead.
“This has happened often before. At first I was surprised and rushed over. Hmph… A man who could chew up a cow being sick? I can’t imagine it at all.”
“Mm.”
But that wasn’t quite right either.
Xie Baowei scratched his cheek.
How many years had it been since Hee-mae returned home?
“I see.”
However, he didn’t say anything more.
There are things you can only know by seeing for yourself.
There are also things you can only know by experiencing them yourself.
It wasn’t that he didn’t understand her feelings…
“I’m sure that’s it. Sick? What nonsense. With that rough temperament of his, he’s probably restless from not being able to exert himself. He’s probably just giving poor brother Yeontak a hard time.”
Hwangbo Yeontak was someone who took after his grandfather perfectly in his competitive spirit and martial inclinations for self-improvement.
No matter how strictly Dongpae educated the children, wasn’t it his persistent challenges that made him the current Bieliang Dazhu?
It was Hwangbo Seungjeong who enjoyed sparring with him even after he was fully grown, using the excuse that it pleased him, and it was Hwangbo Yeontak who still couldn’t match his grandfather even then.
And Lüli was the one who had watched this for a long time from the sidelines.
“Grandfather being sick? Hmph.”
They should lie about something believable.
Lüli chattered away throughout the entire journey to Shandong.
Sometimes about Baowei, sometimes about herself. Then gradually she took in the familiar mountains and rivers of Shandong, recalled memories, and shared them. Then little by little, she began to grumble. She seemed like a child who had become thoroughly sulky.
Her grumbling became more frequent as they approached Jinan, and then.
“…”
It became quiet.
The group entered by boat, just as they had when leaving Jinan.
The canal flowing along the northwest of Shandong led straight to Jinan.
“Hmph! Look there! There are my brothers, and my sisters-in-law, and the children… and Grandfather is also…”
In the distance, the Hwangbo Family members were standing there, just like when Xie Baowei had departed.
Hwangbo Yeonhwi, the Ilcheon Gakju, was there, and so was Hwangbo Yeontak, the Bieliang Dazhu.
Huangbo Lüyan, who managed the family’s merchant group, Hwangbo Yeonjae, who was studying in Qufu, and even Yeon-gung, the head of the Five Elements Martial Arts Stage.
Except for Hwangbo Hoyeon, who would be at the Jingzhou Guard in Liaodong following his uncle Huangbo Enxiang, all the brothers had come out.
Adding their wives and children, and the household members, a large group of family stood at the dock.
Standing at the very front was, naturally, the Household Head Hwangbo Seungjeong.
“…Grandfather.”
Lüli’s voice caught tight.
Even swallowing hard didn’t calm her trembling heart.
“…Grandfather.”
Of course it was natural.
Those foolish brothers were still as healthy and foolish as ever.
Those beautiful sisters-in-law were still as lovely as if you couldn’t tell when they had married into the family.
Those adorable nephews and nieces had grown up while still retaining their childhood cuteness.
“Why.”
But why was Grandfather.
“Why.”
Drip. Drip.
Lüli cried without even knowing she was crying.
She didn’t even realize how much she was crying, soaking the front of her clothes as she wept and wept.
Her steps trembled, her hands trembled, her voice trembled, her heart trembled, and not knowing whether this was pain, sadness, or anger, she just cried.
“Why did you get so old…?”
She just wailed like a child.
The twenty-seven-year-old grown woman cried just like the ten-year-old child she had been when she lost her father and mother.
“Welcome home.”
Before her, Hwangbo Seungjeong smiled gently.
.
.
.
Naturally, the group received a grand welcome.
Lüli sobbed loudly in Hwangbo Seungjeong’s embrace, and while the women wiped away tears, the grown men just patted poor Xie Baowei’s back.
“I’m completely left out.”
Only Hwangbo Yeonghil stood there blankly, then smiled bitterly as he got off the boat.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“I’ve returned.”
Grabbing Hwangbo Yeontak’s hand as he tried to hit Xie Baowei’s back once more, Hwangbo Yeonhwi smiled brightly while looking at his son.
“What’s your name?”
“…Yingying.”
“You’re really pretty. Prettier than sister Hee-mi.”
“Hmph. That’s not true? I’m prettier, aren’t I?”
“…Don’t you look in mirrors, sister?”
“Of course you’re pretty too, Hee-mi.”
Children gathered around Yingying as well, chattering away.
The older children prevented any rivalry among the children.
“Our Xie Family kept their promise.”
Still holding Lüli in his arms, Hwangbo Seungjeong spoke gently to Xie Baowei.
Xie Baowei shrugged his shoulders.
“When the family elder earnestly asks me to return, how could I forget?”
“Hehe, yes, yes, I did earnestly ask. To definitely come back – not only my lovely granddaughter, but you as well.”
When mischief born from embarrassment meets someone generous, ultimately only the speaker becomes more embarrassed.
At Hwangbo Seungjeong’s gentle smile, Xie Baowei silently scratched his cheek.
He still wasn’t used to this kind of atmosphere.
In contrast, looking at Hwangbo Yeonghil, he was already surrounded by his four mothers, father, and brothers, comfortably exchanging jokes.
“You too?”
Watching this, Xie Baowei took a step back.
Family members came to talk to him one after another, but soon drifted away.
Rather than being uncomfortable or awkward, it would be more accurate to say that Xie Baowei himself naturally and quietly stepped away.
“Me too.”
Standing alone while avoiding gazes as much as possible, he saw another child who seemed lost like himself.
It was Yingying.
The child also seemed awkward with the boisterous atmosphere and had stepped back a few paces.
Xie Baowei looked at the girl and smiled.
The girl, who had turned around in surprise, smiled back when she saw that smile.
Though it was awkward, it wasn’t a bad feeling.
It was a good day.
“Let’s hold a feast.”
“Pardon?”
Hwangbo Seungjeong spoke loudly.
At his words, Hwangbo Yeonhwi questioned back. A feast?
“What are you asking? We must hold a grand one.”
A feast!
The retainers’ eyes wavered.
It had already been ten years since they had firmly closed their doors.
Even though they had started receiving guests after Xie Baowei came, officially the Hwangbo Family had still been in a state close to seclusion.
Such a household head had permitted opening the doors.
“Yes!”
Everyone nodded with one heart.
It was the moment the Hwangbo Family stepped back into the world.
***
Xie Baowei received new quarters.
The Xingyaoshengshe where he had been staying was too small for three people to live in.
The new hall was called Chungundang.
It was a hall built when the family was established, and was traditionally where the family’s heir resided.
Naturally, it had been Lüli’s previous residence.
“Hey, ugly. Do you still cry like a child even after growing up?”
“Shut up and get lost.”
“…Your mouth is still the same.”
“I told you to move your ugly face away.”
The family was bustling with the large event being held for the first time in nearly ten years.
Hiring new people, repairing shabby halls, selecting guests to invite, writing letters to inform people…
Naturally, the family’s household members became endlessly busy.
Banggeundang, which prepared the family’s food, was in chaos – screaming about hiring more cooks, bringing someone from an inn, hiring more workers. Workers from each hall hurriedly inspected the condition of the halls and competed to bring in carpenters first.
The teachers of Taehakdang grabbed Hwangbo Yeonjae to compose writings, while Hwangbo Yeonjae himself was busy worrying about how far he should invite the masters of Qufu and the notable figures of Jinan.
At Bogeumdang, which handled the family’s finances, they grabbed Huangbo Lüyan by the collar and shook him, and that collar-grabbed Huangbo Lüyan spouted nonsense like “Would it be okay to reassemble the Taishan Alliance?”
Even Hwangbo Yeontak, the Bieliang Dazhu who would normally have boldly let go, was being pushed around by Cheonsuryeon, who was both the head of provisions for Banggeundang and his wife. Hwangbo Yeonhwi, the Ilcheon Gakju who commanded all of this, just stamped documents with hollow eyes.
So, the only people with leisure in the family were the few here.
“Isn’t brother busy?”
“I’m busy. Very much so.”
Yeon-gung crossed his arms and nodded with a face that looked like a playboy to anyone.
“But still, I made time and came because I was worried our Xie Shu might be bored.”
“…I’m not bored though?”
“Oh my, what’s there to be shy about between us?”
Yeon-gung put his hand on Xie Baowei’s shoulder and acted casually.
Lüli, whose mood had soured the moment he showed his face at the hall, growled even louder.
“Huh? What kind of relationship? A relationship where you disgustingly tormented him? Take that arm away right now.”
“Oh my, I apologized for everything, didn’t I? Our Xie Shu forgave everything too! Right? What kind of relationship are we! We’ve exchanged fists together! Drank together! Shed blood together!”
“…Just shut up and get lost. Really.”
“Geez, such a temper.”
Since they were closest in age, the two of them bickered constantly even after meeting again after so long.
Even though the same conversations continued in the same order and the same fights repeated, Huangbo Lüli stubbornly sought out the two of them.
“I don’t know how someone as gentle as Xie Shu fell for someone like that.”
“…I’m telling Sister Yang everything. Really.”
“Sorry, Lüli.”
Of course, they respected each other’s boundaries.
Huangbo Lüli’s claim of being busy wasn’t a lie. As the vice-leader of Bogeumdang, his wife Yang Okran must be desperately looking for him.
Of course, there would be many others looking for him besides her. He had taken on all sorts of miscellaneous tasks under the excuse of having no specific duties.
“Please save me. I’m really dying here. Yesterday I got dragged away by Brother Yeontak, you know?”
“Hmph. If I try to save brother, only Yeongil will die, won’t he? And what about the children?”
All the children who had reached a reasonable age were in the same situation.
This was because they were severely short-staffed, having sent away even the guests except for a few when they closed the family gates.
Perhaps feeling guilty about this, Yeon-gung shook his head back and forth.
“Ugh… Let me survive first.”
“Brother hasn’t grown up at all, whether then or now.”
“Hmph. As if you’re any better.”
The two fell silent for a moment. Was it because their joy at meeting remained the same despite the passage of time? Or perhaps because of the inevitable sense of time that they couldn’t help but feel?
The late autumn wind swept through the hall.
Suddenly, Huangbo Lüli opened his mouth.
“It’s good that you came.”
“You should have been good when I was here. Fool…”
“Not you, dummy. I mean Xie Shu.”
“…Seokpil. Go and deliver a message to Vice-leader Yang.”
“Hey!”
***
Time passed quickly.
During this time, Xie Baowei idled about aimlessly, while Lüli wandered around the entire hall as if it were her own home.
Well, it was her home, so there was nothing wrong with that.
Anyway, she wandered around as if she had never been away, then took control of the entire family as if it had always been that way, returning as the Hwangbo Family’s Jingjiyuye.
“Wei-rang. I’m back! Where’s Yingying?”
The day before yesterday, she had gone around visiting her uncles, and yesterday she had sparred with members of Bielian? Today she had gone out with her sister-in-laws.
Seeing her flushed cheeks, she must have had at least a round of drinks.
“She must have gotten tired from playing all morning. She’s already fallen asleep. Did Hee-mae have fun?”
“Very much!”
Hehe, Lüli laughed and ran over.
The scars still visible on various parts of her face made his heart ache, but he didn’t show it.
Actually, those weren’t Xie Baowei’s fault or her fault.
It was the path she had chosen herself and proof of that choice, so shouldn’t he be proud of it instead?
That’s what he thought, but still, he didn’t like seeing the woman he loved hurt.
“Wei-rang should have come too.”
“…If I had gone, I would have just sat there blankly. Did Brother Yeon-gung come too?”
“No.”
“What about Brother Yeontak or Brother Laeyeon?”
“Brother Yeontak came. He was so boring that I sent him away early.”
Mm. It was indeed good that he didn’t go.
When Xie Baowei shook his head, Lüli giggled.
Finding this sight pleasing, he gently embraced her.
“Stop laughing. Others might be enchanted by the sound of jade beads rolling.”
“Oh my. My voice only rolls for my husband, you know?”
…
Fire ignited in both their eyes.
The long shadows became one body again…
“Um…”
“…Seokpil, were you still there?”
As their time together lengthened, there was another change.
The distance between the two, which had been somewhat awkward for as long as their separation had lasted, rapidly closed.
No matter how official their marriage was, the two had never even consummated their union.
Even though they naturally shared a room on the way back, there was inevitable awkwardness and boundaries.
But after returning ‘home’ and staying in the same space, those boundaries became entangled and impossible to untangle in an instant.
“I’ll be going in now.”
“Yes, you must have had a hard time following along. You’ve worked hard. Rest well.”
Seokpil, who was originally Xie Baowei’s servant, had recently begun following Lüli.
This was partly because Xie Baowei had so little to do anyway, and partly because Seokpil was quite clever and quick, which Lüli also appreciated.
“Use this to make your younger sibling some nice winter clothes.”
“This is… too much… Thank you.”
Lüli straightened her clothes and pressed some silver coins into Seokpil’s hand.
Seokpil looked at them, not knowing what to do, then accepted them at Xie Baowei’s nod.
Soon, the young boy left with light steps.
Though it was just to Dojwabang across the courtyard where the servants stayed.
“Then…”
The autumn moon was bright.
Xie Baowei took Lüli’s hand and led her.
The night was deep.
A few days later, a banquet was held at the Hwangbo Family Estate.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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