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小洞不补，大洞吃苦. If small holes aren't fixed, then big holes will bring hardship. 美名胜过美貌. A good name is better than a good face. 一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林. A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush.
Liang knew proverbs; Liang liked proverbs. They were short, occasionally witty and rather succinct. He had tried to talk only in idioms and proverbs once— it had both greatly impressed (they didn’t show it but he was quite sure they were unwillingly impressed) and annoyed his listeners.
The point was—Liang knew his proverbs, idioms and fair share of witty advice. It also meant he knew how to misuse them.
“You have to do your part.” A stern look on a freckled face. She was blocking the sunlight— how considerate of her. He had needed something to shade and protect him from the sun’s rays.
Liang looked at her lazily from below, settled comfortably in a stack of hay. Confirming her identity, he shut his eyes once more.
“冰冻三尺，非一日之寒. It takes more than one cold day for a river to freeze a meter deep,” he smiled as he spoke. “We’re in no rush— we’ll be staying here for a while now.” They certainly didn’t have to be in a finish everything immediately, did they?
Chunhua didn’t seem impressed by his misuse of the idiom— nor did she seem like she was going to let go of it easily.
Liang promptly pretended he was asleep and dead to the world.
.
Liang had two fish in hand. The logical course of action was to take a large bite from each of them of course.
“You’ll get fat like that,” Shouxin groused.
Liang shrugged, swallowing before speaking: “You can’t get fat with two fish.” (Original: 不能一口吃成胖子. You can't get fat with one mouthful. Proper meaning: some things aren’t accomplished in one moment.)
Yinli, who was sitting nearby, nodded rapidly in absolute agreement. Forget two fish, even two chickens couldn’t get him fat!
.
“良药苦口. Good medicine tastes bitter,” Liang kindly reminded the teary girl.
Juju wiped her eyes, refraining from replying. What good medicine? How could the idiom be used in such a way?
“You said there was something slithering behind me,” the younger girl said with a hint of accusation. “That’s not medicine at all.” There was clear grievance in her tone.
“I never said there wasn’t something wasn’t behind you,” Liang murmured back with a shrug. “Ah, it’s back again.”
Seeing the younger girl stiffen once more, Liang clucked his tongue. Naive.
(Proper meaning: Frank criticism is hard to swallow.)