ISOF Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Translator: KongoIsamu
Editor: KongoIsamu
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Thoughts is italicized
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Things are more difficult than Su Xiao Pei thought.
Some situation does not need to be overcome with professional knowledge and psychological qualities
For example, trekking a mountain.
Su Xiao Pei feels that the soles of her feet must have been injured, as every step she took she felt a stinging pain. Not only the sole of her feet, but rather she felt her whole leg was about to drop off. She had never known that the mountain roads were so hard to walk, and no matter where she look, she is unable to see the end of the forest. She gasped for air, dragging her legs that she is unable to feel anymore, gritting her teeth to keep up with Ran Fei Ze’s steps.
Ran Fei Ze is the very first person in the row, guiding the two ladies at the back. He carried a large cloth bag, making him tall and burly, but that burden did not pull him down at all. Looking at that very big bag, Su Xiao Pei suddenly felt that she had no strength.
Yet, Ran Fei Ze walked leisurely with that big bag on him. He did not even eat breakfast. He gave one biscuit each to Su Xiao Pei and Miss Tang, as well as giving them the rest of the water in his water bag.
To be honest, Su Xiao Pei finds that the biscuit taste very horrible, she doesn’t even know what material is the water bag made from and how many people have drunk from it. But she knows that she cannot be picky at a time like this, so she ate the biscuit, drank the water, and Ran Fei Ze led the two weak women down the mountain on an empty stomach.
In the beginning, Su Xiao Pei was able to match their pace, but over time, her feet began to hurt, her leg start to cramp, slowly she starts to lag to the back of the line. Although, Miss Tang is not walking leisurely like Ran Fei Ze, but she is also walking quite fast, able to keep up with him.
Only Su Xiao Pei was dragging her legs one step at a time.
Ran Fei Ze did not complain, he would stop for a while to wait for her. Only Miss Tang showed her anxiety, but it is understandable as she had escaped from bandits, now desperate to go back home, to go back to a place where she feels safe. But she did not expect that she will be dragged down by Su Xiao Pei.
Su Xiao Pei did not say a word, as a modern woman, she spend more time sitting down than walking. Even when she wants to go anywhere, she would usually take a car, really, she never had a chance to walk for such a long journey. She was stubbornly shouting ‘not in pain’, ‘not tired’. She never asks them to stop to take a rest, only try her best to keep up with everyone.
So, the three of them walked from early morning till the sun was right above them. Su Xiao Pei did not know how long did they walked for, her feet are in too much pain, she walked till the pain was numb.
Just as Su Xiao Pei thought she was going to die at this moment, Ran Fei Ze announced that they had reached Stone Town.
Although the town is called Stone Town, the town is not made up of stones. Standing in town is a few houses that were made of soil or mud houses.
Su Xiao Pei saw the houses, and she finally saw the beauty of the earth. But she did dare to relax because she knew that once she relax, she would not able to walk any further.
Once Miss Tang saw her town, she seemed a bit excited, her eyes became red, her speed suddenly gotten slower, slower than Su Xiao Pei. Su Xiao Pei can understand what Miss Tang is feeling, and she wants to comfort her. But due to the pain in her legs, Su Xiao Pei does not feel like speaking.
At last, the three of them entered the town, and Miss Tang led Ran Fei Ze and Su Xiao Pei to cross a few streets, ending up in front of one house.
In front of the house, there was a woman carrying a jar, just as she was about to enter the house, she saw the three of them. She was shocked, opened her mouth in surprise, the jar in her hand fell and cracked when it landed on the floor. Then, she ran over to Miss Tang.
“Lian’er!”
“Mother!”
Both mother and daughter hug together, crying. This scene made Su Xiao Pei happy for them, but she also felt some envy. She is now in this situation, unable to tell what will happen to her in the future. But she does not want to think too far, she only wants to think about the present. Her feet hurt, unable to stand any longer, she is thirsty, hungry, and too tired to think.
The mother and daughter pair’s crying drew the attention of many other people, when they realize that it was because the Tang family’s daughter is back, they rushed forward. Su Xiao Pei is also unable to distinguish the identity of everyone, only able to hear that Miss Tang has come back alive from being kidnapped and robbed from the bandits, etc.
Speaking of that, Miss Tang, who is called Tang Lian, lowered her head, do not dare to speak. It is not a decent thing, as she knew that after being kidnapped by the bandits, the victim’s reputation is long gone, more so for a female. Nowadays, people are talkative, she can only lower her head and not say anything.
Mother Tang also have such a mind, her daughter is miraculously alive and back, she is, of course, happy. But these few days, she had heard a decent amount of gossip, she also liked to speak about it and asked her daughter who is Ran Fei Ze and Su Xiao Pei.
Tang Lian did not go into details, only said that she was lost in the mountains and Ran Fei Ze had saved her, and had sent her back home.
Mother Tang heard the words quickly ran forward to thank their family’s savior Ran Fei Ze. Ran Fei Ze only said a few sentences of courtesy words. Su Xiao Pei was at a side, unable to stand it any longer, she knows that her current look is very embarrassing and strange. She can see the look of surprise in the crowd’s expressions, she must do something.
“erm…Da Jie” Is it called eldest sister? Although, the woman looks old-fashion, but she doesn’t look that old at all. Su Xiao Pei guess that she is about less than forty, calling her aunt is a bit over the top, right?”
[<大姐, Da Jie> is called eldest sister but it can be a way to address someone who is older than you, but you also don’t want to offend them by calling them old]
Once Su Xiao Pei said Da Jie, everyone looked over towards her, frowning, even Ran Fei Ze also frowned.
Su Xiao Pei does not know where did she go wrong, but she decided to not see it. She cleared her throat, bite the bullet and said, “Savior up until now did not drink a drop of water, did not eat anything at all.”
She and Ran Fei Ze are together, if these people give him water and food they would not forget about her, right?
Ran Fei Ze looked at her, Su Xiao Pei ignored him, continue to pretend to not see him.
Mother Tang heard what Su Xiao Pei had said and reacted, immediately started to become busy and said, “Ahhh, such a bad etiquette, Savior, please do not blame me. Quickly come in, I will go and pour some tea for you.” She turned around and greeted a few neighbors and all them reluctantly dispersed. When the mother and daughter pair saw that their neighbors had left, they invited Su Xiao Pei and Ran Fei Ze into the house.
Ran Fei Ze did not decline the invitation, carrying his oversized bag into the house. Su Xiao Pei endured the pain and limped quickly, trying to keep with their pace.
They sat down in the Tang’s family living room. Su Xiao Pei looked at the big living room, although the furniture is simple, but it is also clean. She does not know how the home environment should be, so she is unable to judge how is the Tang family’s environment was faring.
Mother Tang served the tea to Ran Fei Ze and Su Xiao Pei, after a few words of courtesy, brought her daughter further into the house. Apparently, mother and daughter have a lot of things to say to each other.
Su Xiao Pei drank two glasses of tea consecutively, finally she quenches the thirst in her throat.
“Da Jie?” At this time, Ran Fei Ze asked her.
Su Xiao Pei turned her head, and saw that he was smiling though his eyes, thought he was calling himself. But she suddenly understood what he meant, seeing that no one was around, she is also not afraid of shame in front of him, simply asked, “Then what should I have called her?”
“How should I address her at that time?” Ran Fei Ze said.
[Su Xiao Pei asked<那應該叫什麽, Na Ying Gai Jiao Shen Mo>, which is the modern way of saying, but Ran Fei Ze said <當是該如何稱呼, Dang Shi Gai Ru He Cheng Hu>, which is the more formal way of asking in the past.]
Su Xiao Pei was stunned, he corrected himself?
Su Xiao Pei had a look of black lines at the side of her face, and changed her way of speaking. “Many thanks to Soldier’s teaching. How should Miss Tang’s mother be addressed?”
“She should be call Madame.”
“Is it not only the those from rich family then should be called Madame.”
Ran Fei Ze looked at her again, Su Xiao Pei saw the meaning in his eyes was saying that she was rude. He asked, “Who was the one that taught you?”
Su Xiao Pei touched her nose, well, not only was she weird, she also has a crude way of talking. But it is not her fault, the blame all goes to the “nunnery”
“I do not remember, do not remember.”
Ran Fei Ze looked at her, not speaking a word.
Su Xiao Pei thought, continue to seek advice, “Soldier, why does she not address herself as Nu Jia?”
Ran Fei Ze looked at her even more strangely, but he still answered her with one word, “Age”
“Oh, oh.” Su Xiao Pei understood, elders to juniors, do not have this kind of relations yet? In fact, she still has many question but she does not dare to speak up.
At this time, Ran Fei Ze was the one who asked a question, “What is Miss plan?”
This question came up again, Su Xiao Pei drank another cup of tea, took some efforts to calm down, “Didn’t Soldier say he didn’t have money, let’s just drink and eat a full meal, and then we’ll talk about it.”
Ran Fei Ze raised his eyebrows, who and who wants to talk about it?”
Su Xiao Pei met his gaze, she knew Ran Fei said he could not take her with him. She had to find ways to settle by herself. But she does not have anyone to rely on, what can she do? Of course, she must follow the competent and kind-hearted Soldier, and have a discussion with him.