The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 41

 

| TBBOTOF | 41

After finishing his words to Wu Weiming, Tang Xu actually felt a bit guilty.

After all, that was the future great general. What if he caused trouble for him in the future?

But then he thought, after finishing the book, it hadn't mentioned the general recalling Tang Xu .

 He let go of the lingering worry. After all, those were things that would happen far in the future. Living carefree was the most important thing for him. Besides, one had to face challenges to grow. If he wanted to succeed, he had to take the first step. With this comforting thought, his mood became peaceful. What would be, would be. Being sentimental wouldn't suit him. 

Moreover, one needed to take risks to succeed. If he wanted to succeed, he had to take the first step. Full of sentimentality, how could he make up his mind to join the army?

"Xu Ge'er?" Wei Dong asked as he saw him standing at the door for a long time without moving, "What are you thinking about?"

Tang Xu exhaled and looked at him. "I remember last time he called you brother. Are you two close?" After all, Wei Dong was like a rival, so it was important to clarify their relationship.

"Cousin," Wei Dong nodded, then added after a moment's silence, "He's my third cousin from my eldest aunt's family." 

Tang Xu had guessed it right, they were indeed relatives. As soon as he heard he was from the eldest aunt's family, the face of that woman popped into his mind, the woman who asked him so many questions earlier. Ah, no wonder she asked him so much. It turns out she was asking for her son!

"Do you have a good relationship with your eldest aunt?" If their relationship wasn't good, Wei Dong wouldn't have helped carry the water bucket. 

Wei Dong nodded and pulled him towards the courtyard. "I usually ask her to help make clothes and shoes. She's quite skilled." 

Tang Xu understood that this help must come with payment.

The two of them walked into the main house together. Wei Dong pulled him into his room for the first time. To put it simply, it was quite simple inside, with not much extra stuff. The room was quite spacious, making it seem empty.

"Go lie down on the kang for a while," Wei Dong pushed him onto the kang. "I put those things we bought in the east wing."

"Lie down? If I lie down, I'll definitely fall asleep," Tang Xu shook his head. "Bring back the fish-flavored shredded pork for Xiao Xi to eat while it's still warm. Where is he?"

"He's sleeping inside," Wei Dong lightly poked Tang Xu's cheek with his finger, withdrawing his hand after being glared at. "I told him yesterday that I would come to your house to ask for their blessings, and he was quite happy. I reckon he didn't sleep well last night."

Tang Xu sighed. Indeed, he was so happy that he hardly slept all night. He didn't feel tired just now, but sitting on the kang, his eyelids started to fight.

Even if he came back from town sitting in a cart, it was still exhausting. After the excitement wore off, fatigue set in. Wei Dong didn't say anything, just spread out the kang blanket and gave him another push.

Tang Xu lay down lazily, not even bothering to take off his shoes.

Wei Dong frowned at his torn shoes, then noticed that he was wearing the same hemp thread socks as himself, and smiled.

 Once Tang Xu lay down, he closed his eyes and fell asleep within a few breaths.

Wei Dong pulled off his shoes and tossed them on the floor, then took off his socks and placed them by the kang. Those fair feet caught his eye, and after a moment's pause in his breathing, he quickly grabbed the thin blanket nearby and covered Tang Xu's legs.

Watching the person sleeping with such a relaxed posture, Wei Dong's eyes flickered with a dark emotion. It won't be long before he completely belongs to me. For now, he couldn't do anything to scare him away.

Wei Dong turned around and found a grass rope, measuring Tang Xu's shoe size and adding some extra distance, then took the rope in hand and went out to find his elder aunt to make a pair of new shoes for Tang Xu.

Wei Zhonghong was making pancakes in the kitchen, intending to send them with Wu Weiming. She thought her third son was going to town to find work, which would take some time. Taking along some pancakes would ensure he had something to eat when hungry. 

Finding labor work in town wouldn't be difficult; there were plenty of shops needing laborers. From morning till evening, she was busy and didn't have time to think about other matters.

She just wanted her son to go out, experience some hardship, and clear his mind. She never expected that he wouldn't return for several years this time.

When Wei Dong arrived, Wu Weiming had just finished packing and came out. The two bumped into each other in the courtyard.

Seeing him carrying a cloth bundle, Wei Dong raised an eyebrow.

Seeing Wei Dong reminded Wu Weiming of the hurtful words Tang Xu had said, and his eyes turned red again.

But he didn't dare to confront Wei Dong; he was genuinely afraid of this cousin.

Feeling aggrieved, he stood there without moving, glaring with clenched fists.

Wei Dong was the first to speak, "You want to marry  Xu Ge'er, but what do you have to offer?"

Wu Weiming hadn't expected Tang Xu to tell Wei Dong about his proposal. He felt a bit choked up, thinking they really shared everything, their relationship was indeed close.

He frowned and retorted stubbornly, "What's it to you? I'll definitely not let him go hungry!"

Wei Dong nodded slightly, his tone indifferent as he began to strike at Wu Weiming, "You don't have a big mansion for him to live in, I do. You don't have money to spend on him, I do. You don't have the ability to earn money, I do. You don't look as good as me, you're not as strong as me, you haven't said as much to him as I have. Besides knowing he's good-looking, what else do you know?"

"Do you know what he likes to eat? Do you know what he enjoys doing? Do you know if he's happy or not? You know nothing, yet you dare to come knocking at his door. If anyone had seen your behavior that day, his reputation would've been ruined. You never considered his situation. How dare you say you like him and want to marry him? How thick is your skin?"

Wu Weiming rarely heard him speak so much, and although his tone wasn't particularly heated, each word hit Wu Weiming like a blow, leaving him red-faced and embarrassed.

Wei Zhonghong emerged from the kitchen to see her third son standing there with his head down. She was truly tired of dealing with him at this point. 

Instead, she greeted Wei Dong, "Dongzi, why have you come? I heard from the third auntie that you went to the Tangs to pay respects? Why the hurry? Couldn't you have chosen a better day?"

"Today is a good day," Wei Dong handed over the hemp rope he was holding. "Elder aunt is helping to make two pairs of cloth shoes for  Xu Ge'er. The soles will be thicker this time. The shoes he's wearing now are all worn out in the front. I reckon his mother probably doesn't think about making him shoes often."

Wei Zhonghong patted his shoulder with a pleased expression, "You, you, you're so efficient. I just mentioned it yesterday, and you've already taken care of the betrothal gifts. Have you been planning this for a long time without daring to mention it?"

Wei Dong stood to the side, listening to his elder aunt's teasing, and for once, he felt a warmth in his ears as he smiled and nodded, "Yes, I was worried about delaying things for him."

"You two are quite suitable for each other. But don't let  Xu Ge'er hear you say that, or he'll start nagging at you," Wei Zhonghong frowned disapprovingly. 

Wei Dong good-naturedly agreed, "Elder aunt, could you please make one pair quickly first? He can wear them back in the evening."

"Is he at your place?" Wei Zhonghong actually thought their relationship was progressing too quickly, but considering that the betrothal gifts had already been exchanged, the engagement was halfway settled. 

Since Wei Dong had come over, there was no harm in it. She nodded, "There are ready-made soles. I'll cut the size, and making the shoes will be quick. Come by later to pick them up."

Wei Dong thanked her and left a small silver coin as a token of appreciation. "Thank you for your hard work, elder aunt. I'll come back later."

Wei Zhonghong didn't refuse the silver coin. She knew Wei Dong's temperament well. If she returned the money today, he would definitely not visit their home again in the future.

After Wei Dong left, she put away the silver coin and looked at the grass rope in her hand. She muttered to herself, "His feet are really small."

Turning to go back inside to make the shoes, she noticed her son still standing in the same place. Wei Zhonghong rolled her eyes at him, feeling both exasperated and affectionate. She said, "Go to the kitchen, pack up the pancakes, have your meal, and then go to sleep. You can leave after you wake up."

It was already afternoon, and if he fell asleep now, he wouldn't wake up until it was dark. What was the point of leaving then? Regardless of how angry she might get, she still cared for her son.

Wu Weiming silently went to the kitchen to eat the pancakes. As he ate, tears streamed down his face. His heart was full of holes from being poked at. If he didn't achieve something, he would truly be looked down upon!

If Tang Xu knew that Wei Dong was the final straw that crushed Wu Weiming, he would probably die laughing.

What was this?

The most deadly blows come from rival competitors.

Men, no matter how old they are, always care about their reputation.

Wu Weiming's situation had basically come to a conclusion, and Tang Xu slept deeply in Wei Dong's room until he was disturbed by voices. He lay on the kang with his eyes half open, still groggy from sleep.

He had slept so comfortably, it felt like he hadn't slept this deeply in a long time.

Sitting up, he glanced at the sky outside the window, realizing it wasn't as late as he had thought.

Hadn't he slept for long?

But wait, he felt so refreshed now.

Climbing down from the kang and stepping out of the room, he saw Wei Xi and Wei Dong sitting at the table in the main room. Each had a bowl of porridge in front of them, and there were two plates and a bowl on the table. One plate had three hard steamed buns, the other had slices of braised meat, and the bowl contained shredded meat.

Tang Xu stood there and glanced around, feeling like something wasn't quite right.

"Brother Xu, you're finally awake!" Wei Xi waved at him. "Come and have breakfast!"

Breakfast?

This was breakfast?

What about dinner?

Wasn't he sleeping since yesterday afternoon? Did he sleep until broad daylight?

He reluctantly sat down, feeling a bitter taste in his mouth.

Then he stood up again. "I'll go wash up first." He wasn't used to having breakfast without washing his face and brushing his teeth.

Wei Dong stood up and handed him a bamboo tube and a small box containing green powder. "This is tooth powder, you can use it to brush your teeth. And this is a toothbrush. Give it a try and see if you're comfortable with it."

Tang Xu almost burst into tears when he held the simple toothbrush. Finally, he didn't have to brush his teeth with twigs and salt anymore. Only heaven knew how pitiful his gums were.

While Tang Xu brushed his teeth and washed his face, Wei Dong explained what happened yesterday.

"You were sleeping too deeply. I called you twice but got no response. So, I took a bag of sugar and a jar of wine to your house and told your parents that you were too tired and slept here for the night. Your mother was quite happy about it, but your father didn't say anything. They accepted everything. I had my aunt make the shoes for you. Are they comfortable?"

Tang Xu nodded as he spat out the water from his mouth, feeling the cool and fresh breath. Holding the water, he washed his face. "They are comfortable. Your aunt has good skills. Let's hurry up and get the wedding done. Otherwise, if I have to stay over again next time, my father will probably blow up. I'll bring you the money for the sugar and wine next time."

"No need," Wei Dong frowned, clearly unhappy with the idea of him paying. "We don't need to separate things so clearly."

"It's two different matters," Tang Xu snatched the cloth from Wei Dong's hand and wiped his face, muttering, "Yesterday, you spent so much money buying things. I can't let you bear all the expenses. Moreover, if I bring the money over to you, you can spend it on me in the future. There's no need to separate things so clearly."

Wei Dong couldn't argue with him and could only accept it.

As they sat down to eat breakfast, Tang Xu squeezed the hard steamed bun in his hand and glanced at the watery porridge. He simply broke the bun into pieces and put them in the bowl. It would be softer that way.

Wei Xi chuckled and followed his action, breaking the bun into pieces as well.

Wei Dong, with good dental health, took a bite of the bun, then drank some water, and finally ate the thin porridge. His eating style was quite hearty.

"After we finish eating, let's pickle the eggs and fry the shredded meat," Tang Xu held the bowl and sipped the porridge. He also picked up a piece of braised meat. The taste was quite fragrant, and it wasn't too greasy even when eaten cold. "What do you want for lunch?"

"Brother Xu, can you stay for lunch before going back?" Wei Xi looked pleasantly surprised.

Tang Xu nodded. He had already prepared his excuse, saying that there was nothing at home and he needed to tidy up to avoid being in a mess after getting married.

He turned to Wei Dong. "Shouldn't we find someone to fix a date for the wedding? It shouldn't be too soon. My mother said she wants to sew a set of wedding bedding and make my wedding clothes."

Originally, Wei Dong was going to say they could have the wedding anytime, but after hearing this, he thought about how rushed he was to deliver the betrothal gifts. Anyway, they had already written the marriage contract, and Tang Xu couldn't run away. 

He felt much relieved and said, "I'll also have someone make the wedding clothes. Seeing that the weather is going to get hot soon, if we wait for the furniture to be delivered, we'll have to wait until after the autumn harvest to move in."

Tang Xu thought that even if he had to bear the title of "fiancé", it wouldn't be good to come here every day. The villagers would probably gossip about it every day. 

He shook his head and said, "No, let's make it sooner. It won't take four months to make the wedding bedding and clothes. At the latest, let's set it for May 15th. We'll check the almanac for that day, and if there are no taboos, we'll go with it."

Wei Dong nodded. He was eager to bring the bride home as soon as possible.

These two men quickly set the date with just a few words. Wei Xi, who was listening on the side, couldn't help but exclaim. Wasn't it too hasty to set the wedding date like this? But he really hoped that Brother Xu could move in early so that he could see him every day!

Tang Xu looked at Wei Xi, who had been staring at him, and smiled. "Xiao Xi, you also need to take care of your health. Don't get sick before I move in. I probably won't come over often in the near future, but if you want anything, just let your brother know."

Wei Xi nodded vigorously. "Can we have shredded pork with garlic sauce for lunch? I had it for dinner yesterday, and it was really delicious."

"Sure, that's easy to make."

After lunch, Tang Xu didn't stay any longer. After waving goodbye to Wei Xi, who was carrying a jar of shredded meat, he took a piece of navy blue cloth with him and went out with Wei Dong.

Originally, he intended for the cloth to be used to make Wei Dong clothes, but Wei Dong shook his head and suggested that he take it back to make a short shirt for himself, Tang Erhu, and the two siblings at home. Half of the light-colored cloth was also packed in the back basket. He would take it back so that his mother and sister could each make a shirt.

Tang Xu initially refused, but Wei Dong insisted.

"Your mother will appreciate a little sweetness, and it'll keep her content for a while. Besides, she'll need to spend money to buy fabric for the wedding bedding and clothes. If you don't give her anything, she probably won't be able to make them," Wei Dong took the piece of cloth from Tang Xu's arms and held it himself. "After you get married and stop living with her, she won't have anywhere to turn for benefits."

After a brief consideration, Tang Xu agreed with Wei Dong's reasoning. It was a classic case of spending money to keep trouble at bay. Otherwise, Liu Xiangxiang would likely cause trouble every day.

He could get Tang Erhu to be biased in his favor once or twice, but soon he would be married, and he couldn't predict what his father would think. It was safer for everyone to be happy with the piece of cloth. Avoiding any trouble was the priority, especially with the impending marriage.

"As for the matter of the vegetable garden, you don't need to worry. I'll find someone to plant the crops in the next few days," they walked back together, Tang Xu said, "The neighboring households have planted a lot of vegetables. I'll buy the seeds from them."

Tang Xu then asked, "How much is appropriate to pay someone to plant the crops? I'll cover the cost." Since it was his idea to plant the garden, it didn't make sense to let Wei Dong foot the bill.

"Ten copper coins should be enough. It's all local farmers' work. With the small piece of land we have in our yard, it'll be done in two days," Wei Dong chuckled at him. "What did you think?"

"...I thought it would be more expensive," Tang Xu admitted truthfully. He had expected it to cost at least half an ounce of silver.

"People in the countryside, besides saving a few eggs to exchange for copper coins or selling whole pigs to butchers, only have money when they sell grain after paying the grain tax each year. Otherwise, they rarely see cash. I'll give them twenty copper coins to have two people help. They'll even plant the crops for free for me, and they'll be happy about it. They'll be competing to do the work," Wei Dong explained.

Wei Dong noticed that he had been talking more in the past few days, and he hadn't felt annoyed at all. Previously, he would lose interest in conversations after just a few sentences, but with Tang Xu, he found himself enjoying every word they exchanged. 

Tang Xu looked down at his new shoes and agreed with Wei Dong's observation.

"That copper coins will be my contribution too," Tang Xu insisted.

"Alright, let me know how you want it planted," Wei Dong replied.

"I want each row to have a variety of vegetables like eggplant, green beans, squash, cucumber, tomatoes, and chili peppers. We should plant a bit of everything. And then there are potatoes, sweet potatoes, and Chinese cabbage. We should also grow various leafy greens like onions, ginger, and garlic. Basically, anything the villagers are growing, let's plant it. The more, the better," 

Tang Xu happily listed off the vegetables he wanted to grow. 

When he turned to see Wei Dong's expression, he noticed that Wei Dong was looking at him as if he were a fool. 

Confused, Tang Xu blinked and asked, "What's wrong?"

"What are tomatoes? We've already planted enough potatoes and sweet potatoes in the dry fields. We also have soybeans and peanuts. I've rented out the dry fields and paddy fields and don't collect money, just grain each year," Wei Dong explained.

Tang Xu nodded and continued, "We'll plant more Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, squash, radishes, long beans, and chili peppers. These can all be pickled. We'll buy twenty or thirty jars, and I'll fill them all up!"

Imagining the sight of various jars of pickled vegetables filling up the pantry, Tang Xu licked his lips in anticipation. "Let me give you a heads up," he said to Wei Dong. "I like hoarding things and cooking. After I move in, you'll have to listen to me about gardening. If you want to eat well, you'll have to help me too. Otherwise, you won't get to eat anything," Tang Xu grinned at him. "Deal?"

"Deal. Since I don't have to do the farming, I'll have plenty of time to help you. I'll go hunting in the mountains every day and help out when needed," Wei Dong agreed.

Tang Xu spun around happily, but his excitement caused him to bump into Wei Dong. Wei Dong quickly reached out and pulled him into a hug.

Their intimate display of affection made many onlookers frown, but no one dared to say anything directly to them. They whispered among themselves behind their backs, but Tang Xu and Wei Dong paid no attention. They didn't care about idle gossip; it didn't affect them, and no one dared to confront them directly.

Who would dare to approach them? They knew Wei Dong's powerful fists weren't just for show.

"Brother!" Tang Yang ran over from the village road, throwing himself into Tang Xu's arms. He looked up with a pitiful expression. "Brother, you don't want me anymore?"

Tang Xu: "..."

Before he could respond, Tang Yang was lifted up by Wei Dong, who held him by the collar.

"Dirty," Wei Dong added with a grunt.

Tang Yang burst into tears.

Tang Xu: ...

He could already foresee a lively time ahead in the near future.

The Tang household fell into a somber mood as Tang Erhu took a nap. He couldn't shake off the worry about his child, who hadn't returned home the previous night. 

Despite Wei Dong's explanation, Tang Erhu couldn't help but fret. He felt uneasy working in the fields all morning.

Tang Erhu grunted, his face darkening. If it weren't for his wife swiftly taking care of things last night, he would have definitely given Wei Dong a piece of his mind. But since everything had been settled, berating Wei Dong would only make him seem heartless.

Understanding Tang Erhu's concern for their absent son, Liu Xiangxiang decided to speak up for once. " Xu Ge'er and Wei Dong have already written their marriage vows. Technically, they're already considered married. There shouldn't be any issue with them living together."

"But we haven't hosted the wedding banquet yet!" Tang Erhu slapped his thigh in frustration. "What will people say if they see them living together?"

"Let them say what they want. Will their gossip bring you a jar of wine or two pounds of sugar?" Liu Xiangxiang, thick-skinned as she was, had developed a nonchalant attitude towards gossip. 

Ever since Tang Erhu had given her a good beating a while back, she had learned to keep the biggest secrets hidden. As long as Tang Xu got married soon, she would still be the wife of this household.

Liu Xiangxiang was a determined person. She couldn't afford to have too many calculations in her mind. Before, when she was fixated on making life difficult for Tang Xu, she targeted him wherever possible. 

But now, after being thwarted by Tang Xu a couple of times and receiving beatings from Tang Erhu, Liu Xiangxiang had learned her lesson. She still found Tang Xu annoying, but instead of actively antagonizing him, she just wanted him to get married and disappear from sight.

Wei Dong handed her twenty taels of silver to marry Tang Xu. Honestly, Liu Xiangxiang hadn't expected this. At that moment, she was just thinking about how to get rid of this wild seed, even if it meant doing it for free. She never imagined such a stroke of luck would fall into her lap.

However, Liu Xiangxiang also felt a bit of regret. She believed Wei Dong was wealthy, so twenty taels seemed too little. If she hadn't received the twenty taels yet, she could have asked for more. But now that the money was in her hands, she couldn't increase the price later without risking Tang Erhu's wrath.

Liu Xiangxiang reluctantly accepted the twenty taels and occasionally took them out to admire. In her heart, she cursed Wei Dong for giving her such fragmented pieces of silver. It seemed like a lot, but scattered silver pieces were far less valuable than a solid silver ingot. 

What a clueless fellow! He didn't understand how to win the favor of his future mother-in-law at all!

After giving Tang Erhu a few words of advice, Liu Xiangxiang just wanted to marry off Tang Xu as soon as possible to relieve the tension at home. Thinking about Tang Xu's increasingly handsome face only fueled her hatred.

Scoundrel! Sly fox!

Tang Erhu frowned as he called her name, but she didn't respond. He had to call her again. "Liu Xiangxiang!"

Startled, Liu Xiangxiang trembled. "What? What's wrong?"

"What are you thinking?" Tang Erhu stared at her, his voice as cold as an ice pick, as if he wanted to pierce her skull.

Liu Xiangxiang babbled, "What else could I be thinking? I'm just wondering when  Xu Ge'er will come back!"

"Mother really cares about me. Look how I came back so soon!" Tang Xu pushed open the door and entered the room, grinning at the astonished Liu Xiangxiang. "Mother, do you miss me?"

Liu Xiangxiang almost choked on her saliva.

She stared, ready to scold, but when she saw Wei Dong entering behind Tang Xu with the piece of cloth in his hand, she quickly stood up and greeted him, "Since we're all family here, there's no need for formalities. Why bring more gifts? It's unnecessary."

Wei Dong glanced at Tang Xu, noticing his eye-rolling and disdainful expression.

"Mother, this is fabric for making clothes for Father, for my two brothers, and me," Tang Xu explained as he placed the basket on the kang and took out the lighter-colored fabric. "Here, this one is for you and Ah Li."

Liu Xiangxiang's emotions fluctuated. When she held the slippery fabric in her hands, she felt like she was dreaming.

Tang Li entered the room with Tang Yang. Both children stared at the fabric. It had been two years since they had new clothes, so the prospect of new garments made them ecstatic.

"Mother, make me a dress! I want a dress!" Tang Li exclaimed.

"Go away! Who wears dresses to work in the fields? It would be a waste to use such good fabric for you. I'll make two robes for your big brother. When he wears them to school, everyone will admire him," Liu Xiangxiang replied as she tried to gather all the fabric into her arms.

Tang Xu reached out and snatched the fabric back, stuffing it into Tang Li's arms smoothly and naturally. 

Liu Xiangxiang was taken aback, looking at him. " Xu Ge'er, why are you snatching your mother's fabric?"

"Since it seems like Mother doesn't really want new clothes, let's forget about it," Tang Xu turned to Tang Li and said, "Take this fabric to Auntie and ask her to help make a garment. If there's any leftover fabric, consider making something for Eldest Aunt and her..."

"I'll do it! I'll make it myself!" Liu Xiangxiang hastily snatched the fabric back, holding it tightly. "Ah Li and I will make new clothes." 

Tang Xu smiled mockingly. "Mother, you still have to make my wedding attire and bedding. Can you handle making two more outfits?"

"Of course I can! Why wouldn't I be able to? I can make clothes very quickly," Liu Xiangxiang retorted. If she didn't make good use of this fabric, it wouldn't be hers anymore! She felt pained at the thought of how her sister-in-law would look when she received the fabric.

No, she had to keep this fabric for herself!

Tang Xu ignored her and patted the fabric that Wei Dong had placed down. "This one also needs to be made into clothes. Mother, since you don't usually have much to do, why don't you spend the next month at home making clothes? Wei Dong and I have already discussed it. We'll hold the wedding and reception on May 15th."

"What? So soon?" Tang Erhu looked surprised. "Have you both found someone to oversee everything?"

"No, we haven't. I just want to get everything done before the weather gets too hot. Otherwise, we'll have to wait until the end of the year," Tang Xu glanced at Liu Xiangxiang as he said this, then asked her, "Mother, when do you think would be a good time for me to get married?"

Liu Xiangxiang glanced at Tang Erhu, then thought for a moment before replying, "May 15th is good, just after the festival and before the harvest season begins. If we wait any longer, we'll have to wait until the end of the year. They're in a hurry, so they might as well get it done quickly and start their life together in peace."

Tang Xu nodded. "Exactly, Mother is right."

He found that as long as Liu Xiangxiang spoke normally, what she said was quite reasonable. Tang Erhu glanced at both of them, then at Wei Dong, "What have you prepared on your end?"

"Whatever  Xu Ge'er likes, I'll prepare it," Wei Dong replied without much enthusiasm towards his future father-in-law. He answered when asked but remained silent otherwise.

Tang Erhu didn't know how to respond to Wei Dong's straightforward answer, so he just grunted, got off the kang, put on his shoes, and walked out.

"Father, are you going to work in the fields?" Tang Xu asked knowingly.

Tang Erhu glared at him. "What else would I be doing?" He walked out and then turned back to Tang Xu, saying, "Just stay at home honestly and prepare for your marriage! Don't think about running around all day!"

Tang Xu acknowledged, "I know."

He wasn't running; he was walking.

But lately, he didn't plan to go there. He had to stay home and make clothes, waiting for Liu Xiangxiang to make his wedding attire. He just needed to listen to her and wait for the day she finished stalling.

He had to remind her every day to buy the fabric and cotton for the bedding, to avoid her pretending to forget.

"Let's go, I'll carry the things for you," Tang Xu pulled Wei Dong's hand and led him to his room.

The room was small and damp, causing Wei Dong to furrow his brow as soon as he entered. However, he didn't say anything and just silently observed.

Tang Xu retrieved the deed buried in the ground and the silver coins wrapped in oil paper. "Here, take them back to your place. It's not safe to leave them here."

Wei Dong nodded. "Okay, I'll put them away for you."

"You should go now. If you're going into the mountains one day, let me know in advance," Tang Xu calculated that he would gather more fruits to bring back, making some for Tang Li and Tang Yang to stay here. Even though he hadn't spent much time with these two children, he had noticed their changes, and he felt they deserved some rewards.

Wei Dong squeezed his hand. "The temperature in the Yuanbao Mountain is warmer and more humid than outside. The fruits ripen early, probably in the next few days. I'll go and check first. If they're ripe, I'll come and get you."

"Okay, then I'll make a few more large baskets these days to carry more," they walked outside as they talked. Tang Xu looked up at Wei Dong with a smile. "Do you need to bring a machete?"

"No need, I'll bring one," Wei Dong thought to himself that with Tang Xu's small stature, if he carried a machete, he might end up scraping himself before even reaching the mountain.

Tang Xu narrowed his eyes, thinking that he could see through Wei Dong's intentions. He was implying that he was clumsy!

But he decided to let it go. If Wei Dong didn't bring a machete, he could bring scissors.

"I'm going back," Wei Dong stood at the courtyard gate, patting Tang Xu's face. His rough palm touched Tang Xu's smooth skin, making him shrink his neck. 

Wei Dong chuckled lightly. "You should go back too. Your mother probably has something to say."

Tang Xu shrugged. "She can say whatever she wants. I don't listen to her anyway."

"Well, as long as you're happy," Wei Dong withdrew his hand after rubbing his face red. 

He flicked his fingers. "Go back." 

Tang Xu nodded and pushed him. "You go, I'll watch you go onto the village road before I go back." They lingered as if they were going to be separated for a long time, but after a while, they finally parted ways.

After not seeing Wei Dong's figure, Tang Xu turned around and saw Liu Xiangxiang standing in the courtyard with her hands on her hips.

He walked over and asked, "Mother, when do you plan to go buy the quilt cover? I don't have any special requirements. You don't need to embroider flowers on it. Just get a red quilt cover."

Liu Xiangxiang's face darkened, and her eyes darted around. "I still have to make clothes. I don't have time to go shopping. You go buy it yourself."

"I buy it? Okay, Mother, give me the money, and I'll buy the quilt cover and cotton for the wedding quilt. Two taels of silver should be enough."

"Two taels of silver? Are you robbing money?" Liu Xiangxiang glared, "You're asking for two taels of silver just like that. What do you want?"

"If you don't give me the silver, I'll ask Father for it. Anyway, I don't have any silver." Tang Xu didn't want to waste time with her. She never learned her lesson. "Otherwise, Mother, you go buy it yourself. Am I asking for too much? Wei Dong gave twenty taels, and you're reluctant to give me two taels for my dowry."

Liu Xiangxiang took a deep breath and reluctantly nodded. "Fine, I'll go buy it!"

Tang Xu snorted softly, looked around, and saw that his two siblings were not around. He took a step forward, but Liu Xiangxiang, not knowing what he was up to, took two steps back, looking wary.

Even though he was just a ger, Tang Xu, though slim, stood at around one meter seventy-eight, and with recent exercise and a hearty appetite, he had developed a thin layer of muscle. Standing in front of Liu Xiangxiang, who was a little over one meter fifty, his height advantage was evident.

Bending down, Tang Xu leaned close to Liu Xiangxiang's face, forcing her to look at him. Liu Xiangxiang clenched her lips tightly, her eyes filled with hatred. 

Tang Xu grinned, "Mother, am I handsome?"

Liu Xiangxiang raised her hand as if to scratch him, but Tang Xu grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him, their faces almost touching. "Mother, I call you mother, and you just have to endure it. One day, if I stop calling you that, you'll still have to endure it."

"You!"

"What, want to curse at me again? Go ahead, it doesn't bother me. When Father comes back, I'll ask him why I don't look like any of you. Anyway, I'm already engaged. Even if something happens, and Father kicks me out, I have somewhere to go. But Mother, you won't have a say then. I heard that women who cheat on their husbands are thrown into the river in a bamboo cage!"

"You little brat, talking nonsense! When did I cheat on my husband?" Even though Liu Xiangxiang's heart trembled, she tried to maintain her composure, knowing she couldn't shout this out loud, so she lowered her voice as it strained through her throat.

Tang Xu tilted his head, "Then Mother, why don't you explain to me why we look so different?"

Liu Xiangxiang closed her mouth and remained silent.

Tang Xu sneered and shook off her arm. "Mother, I hope that before I get married, you can cooperate with me and prepare my dowry and our clothes. You don't have to worry about anything else in the house. I can handle it with Ah Li and Ah Yang. By the time I get married, Ah Rui should be back too, and the whole family will be together, it will be lively and bustling."

Liu Xiangxiang was trembling with anger.

Tang Xu hadn't finished speaking yet. "If you don't let me get married comfortably, I can make sure you have no peace for the rest of your life." With that, he walked back to his room, leaving Liu Xiangxiang seething with rage. 

Tang Li, who was peering through the window, saw him return to his room and immediately ran over to find him.

But these past few days, she hadn't been doing things with her brother, and she felt like they were growing apart. Thinking about the news of the wedding banquet happening in a month, the young girl felt very uncomfortable.

"Brother, if you get married, can I come to see you often?" Tang Li stood by the table, watching Tang Xu wiping dust with a cloth. Tang Xu turned around and saw her red eyes, filled with reluctance, so he smiled and waved at her.

The little girl rushed over and hugged him tightly, whispering, "Brother, don't forget about me."

At the age where one can distinguish right from wrong, without proper guidance, it's easy to stray off the right path. After all the effort to bring the two children back, Tang Xu couldn't simply let go. Whether his intentions were genuine or not, whether it was out of a sense of righteousness or not, he didn't think his actions were wrong.

"Ah Li, you're a good girl. You must have your own judgment, knowing what's right and what's wrong. If Mother makes you do all the work after I get married, you must speak up."

“Can't I come to see you?" Tang Li looked up at him.

"You can come see me, but can you always come see me?" Tang Xu patted her arm, waiting for the little girl to release her grip before gently guiding her to sit on a chair. He poured her a bowl of water and handed it to her. "I'll teach you everything I can, but understanding how to be a good person is something you'll have to figure out on your own. You know what's right and what's wrong, right?"

Tang Li nodded. "Yes."

"Then that's good. If Mother scolds or hits you, go find Father. Don't always endure it by yourself. Look at me now, I don't endure her anymore, and she can't do anything to me."

Tang Li nodded again, understanding.

"And I'm not getting married for another month, so there's no rush."

Previous TOC Next