Chapter 4 — Past Fairness Restored

The jade color is gentle, but lacking a corner. The defect looked like it had been broken with force, the edges had been smoothed by him until it was shiny. I asked: "What are you doing in the capital?" Ta Tam Lang lowered his head to look at the jade. Normally he is as talkative as summer cicadas, rarely silent for such a long time. Aunt Dao stood in front of the yard and didn't say a word. The river breeze blew past, the fishy smell faded, and the firewood in the kitchen crackled. Ta Tam Lang suddenly laughed. “If I said I forgot, would you believe it?” I don't answer. He scratched his head. “It can't be counted as completely forgotten.” “I remember that day I went to the capital to meet someone.” “Remember there's someone chasing me.” “Remember it was very noisy by the lake, someone called for help.” “I wanted to go through, but someone hit me from behind.” He spoke very softly. “When I woke up, I was on the side of the mountain road.” “The head is broken, the clothes are torn, everything valuable on the body is gone.” “Only half of this jade remains.” My heart tightens. Winter three years ago, when I picked him up by the river, the wound on his forehead was very deep. The doctor said that if he moved another inch, he wouldn't wake up. I always thought he was just robbed by mountain bandits. Turns out he was also related to that year. Ta Tam Lang stuffed the jade back into his heart. “I don't intend to use this to tell you that we are destined.” “I also don't want her to feel indebted to me.” "I'm just afraid that tomorrow when you go to the capital, you'll hear them talking nonsense and feel uncomfortable." He looked at me. “Duong Am, the person who harmed you that day was not you.” “The people on the shore didn't save her, nor did she.” “The person who took her away was still not her.” “She can only survive in water.” “That's already very good.” My throat felt like something was blocking it. For the past four years, everyone has said we should understand. Say we should think openly. Saying that the rich Marquis is better than the poor countryside. Only Ta Tam Lang said, I survived very well. Aunt Dao turned her back and used her sleeve to wipe the corners of her eyes. She deliberately raised her voice. “Are you still eating?” “If we don't make fish anymore, the fishy smell will seep into the bones.” Ta Tam Lang immediately turned around. "Eat!" "No matter how big the injustice is, you have to eat until you're full before you can count." “Aunt Dao, let me make fish.” Aunt Dao hated giving him the knife. “Don't flap the fish again.” Ta Tam Lang is serious. “The fish last time had spirit.” “It is not willing to go into the pot.” “I respect it.” Aunt Dao scolded him a lot. I stood in the yard and suddenly felt the wind was no longer so cold. For dinner, Ta Tam Lang drank two bowls of fish soup. He drank and praised. "Fresh." “So fresh.” “When alive, this fish is definitely a lucky fish.” Aunt Dao was made fun of by him. "Into your belly can you still call it a blessing?" "Of course." He patted his stomach. “My heart is wide.” “It's not tight in here.” I also laugh. Halfway through laughing, thinking about having to return to the capital tomorrow, the chopsticks in my hand gradually stopped. Ta Tam Lang looked at me, picked up a large piece of fish belly and put it in my bowl. “Don't be afraid.” "Tomorrow you don't need to think about how to win." “You just need to think, say who makes you unhappy.” "If you can't say it, I'll say it for you." "I said no, there's also Aunt Dao." Aunt Dao snorted. “I can't go to the capital.” Ta Tam Lang immediately said: "Then I will bring my aunt's spirit with me." “As soon as I enter the door, I will put my hands on my hips.” “Then learn how to scold people.” “Make sure to calm them down.” Aunt Dao used her chopsticks to tap him. “Don't learn from me.” “Learning perishes.” He n
squealed very quickly, laughter from the kitchen rolled out into the yard. That night, I slept very lightly. Near dawn, we heard the yard gate ring softly. I put on my coat and went out, seeing Ta Tam Lang standing by the well washing an old piece of jade. Moonlight fell on his profile, his eyebrows were rarely quiet. Just as I was about to speak, he suddenly held the pearl tightly in his palm. Next to the bamboo fence in the yard, a dark shadow flashed past. Ta Tam Lang raised his eyes, his smile completely disappeared. “Duong Am.” “When you go to the capital tomorrow, I'm afraid it's not just the Marquis Palace that's waiting for you.” 05 As soon as it was dawn, a large number of people gathered in the village. Aunt Dao packed two sets of clean clothes for me and stuffed half a bag of baked goods. She stuffed it and said: "Eat on the way." “Things in the capital are expensive.” “Don't go hungry.” I said: “We won't stay long.” Aunt Dao glared at me. “If you stay even one day, you have to eat.” Ta Tam Lang carried a bag of luggage and left the house. The luggage was bulging, like it was moving house. I look at him. “What are you carrying?” He is very proud. “Blue shirt, gray shirt, thick socks, thin socks, healing medicine, rope, fire starter.” “There are also two mantou.” Aunt Dao asked: "Why are you carrying a rope?" Ta Tam Lang thought for a moment. “In case I have to climb the wall.” I'm silent. Aunt Dao was also silent. The village chief coughed loudly next to him. "Tam Lang, let's talk about morality, not stealing." Ta Tam Lang nodded. “I know.” “So the rope is on the bottom.” The village chief choked and rubbed his forehead. He handed me a hand-stamped document. “This is the marriage deed between you and Tam Lang.” “Even though the party hasn't officially been held yet, everyone in the village has testified.” “If they make it difficult for you to get married, just take it out.” I received that paper. The paper is very thin.