| TBBOTOF | 42
Wei Dong is an action-oriented person. Tang Xu suggested buying more jars to pickle vegetables at home, so the next morning, Wei Dong went to the potter's house in the village and ordered thirty jars of different sizes, along with three large jars.
After they were fired, a cart would be arranged to deliver them home. After paying the copper coins, Wei Dong didn't bother with it anymore.
When he returned home, he cleaned up several empty rooms in the back house, and he planned to discuss with Tang Xu how to arrange things here when he came. As for the storage room, Wei Dong planned to let Wei Xi move to the east wing.
"Why? I'm fine living here," Wei Xi didn't understand why his brother was making such a fuss. He was quite comfortable living in his own little room. Wei Dong said in a straightforward manner, "You're older now, it's more convenient to live further away."
What does that mean?
What does it have to do with me being older or not?
Wei Xi didn't understand, but that didn't stop him from agreeing to move. Anyway, it was just moving from this side of the main house to the east wing, a matter of walking a few steps across the courtyard.
"I'll arrange a study for you in the east wing, and I'll find an old scholar in a while and ask if he can come to teach you at home."
Wei Xi blinked in confusion, genuinely not understanding this time.
"Why would an old scholar come to our house?"
"To teach you how to read," Wei Dong explained a few rare sentences to his younger brother, concluding, "We both feel that since your health is not good, there's nothing else you can do, so why not study? Whether you take the imperial examination or not doesn't matter, finding something to do will make you feel better. Do you want to learn?"
Wei Xi grabbed his brother's wrist excitedly and nodded vigorously, "I want to learn! I will definitely study hard!" He was too eager, took a breath of cold air, and couldn't help but start coughing.
Wei Dong helplessly patted his back, "Let's talk about this next year. You'll be ten years old next year, and it's not too late to start learning then." Wei Xi nodded, "I'm not in a hurry. I'll take care of my health."
After discussing this matter, the two brothers tidied up the room a bit. Wei Xi didn't have much stuff, aside from some changes of clothes and a few blankets, there wasn't much else. If there was something that absolutely had to be moved, it was the jar of shredded meat that Tang Xu had made.
Seeing his beloved brother hugging the jar of shredded meat, Wei Dong didn't say anything. If he loved it, then let him hug it. It wasn't too heavy anyway.
Moving didn't take long. The east wing room was usually tidy, with furniture inside, and the room was more spacious than the one Wei Xi originally lived in.
"The room next door will be your study. Tomorrow, I'll take out the books that Dad bought for me when he was alive and air them out. I'll put them all in your room," Wei Dong wiped the dust off his face with his hand and said, "Wei Xi, from now on, there will be three of us in our family."
Wei Xi looked up at his expressionless older brother, but he could feel his brother's happiness.
They were both very happy about welcoming Tang Xu into the family.
With a firm nod, Wei Xi grinned, "Yeah, there will be even more people in the future." Brother Xu would definitely give birth to a child for his brother, and then he would have a nephew! The house would definitely become livelier and more bustling!
Tang Xu said he wanted to fill the yard with vegetables, so Wei Dong directly took some copper coins and went to ask the neighbors for help. Just as he said, after giving away twenty copper coins, the front and back yards of the house were completely cleaned up within two days, and rows of various vegetables were planted.
Wei Dong even specifically asked if there were any persimmon trees, but everyone shook their heads, saying they hadn't heard of any.
The green leafy vegetables originally planted in the yard were simply pulled out, which Wei Xi was quite reluctant to do.
"They didn't grow well anyway. These would have sprouted in a few days," Old Wu sat happily on a small wooden stool, watching Wei Xi frown. He comforted him and curiously asked, "How did your brother suddenly think of tidying up the yard? I mentioned helping him plant vegetables before, but he refused."
"Brother Xu likes the yard filled with vegetables, so my brother planted them for him," Wei Xi also sat beside him, holding a bowl and sipping honey water in small sips.
Old Wu sniffed the sweet aroma of the honey water and thought to himself that Wei Dong was really willing to spend money on his younger brother. Honey was quite expensive.
"Tang Xu? Oh, right, these past few days they've been saying that Dongzi has been betrothed to someone. It's really settled, huh? Which family?" Old Wu suddenly realized, remembering that his daughter-in-law had mentioned it. She said Wei Dong had been betrothed to a ger from the neighboring village.
"The Tang family from the neighboring village. Tang Xu is really good. He made a lot of delicious food for me and my brother," Wei Xi licked the corner of his mouth and smiled, "My brother really likes him."
Old Wu nodded, thinking to himself that even if Wei Dong didn't care much, he couldn't let his new son-in-law be assigned tasks before entering the family. He hadn't realized that Wei Dong had a caring side to him.
Old Wu's eldest son, in his thirties, came over to catch his breath after watering the vegetable field. He overheard their conversation and asked, "The Tang family's Xu Ge'er? Isn't that the family that made Old Lady Wu the laughingstock recently? Dad, don't you remember? My wife said there was a good-looking young man from the neighboring village who was almost sold off by his birth mother for twenty taels. His name was Xu Ge'er."
Old Wu looked at Wei Xi and asked, "Is it him?"
Wei Xi's smile disappeared from his face. "I don't know."
Old Wu scolded his son, "Go, get back to work. After we finish, let's go home." His son clicked his tongue and thought that his father just wanted to hear some gossip. If he didn't say anything, then so be it.
Not long after this father and son left, Wei Dong returned. Seeing the tidy appearance of the yard, he nodded in satisfaction. He put down the bamboo basket he was carrying and turned to see his unhappy younger brother beside him. "What's wrong?"
Wei Xi, smelling the fragrance emanating from the bamboo basket, angrily said, "Brother, do you know that Tang Xu almost got sold off by his mother?"
Wei Dong paused his actions of taking out bowls from the bamboo basket upon hearing this. "Who told you that?"
"Old Wu said it. He said Brother Xu almost got sold off by his mother for twenty taels, and he mentioned Old Lady Wu was a laughing stock. Brother, didn't you know? Brother Xu didn't tell you?" Wei Xi couldn't help but glare, "Brother Xu is so good, how can his mother be so bad!"
Wei Dong really didn't know about this matter. He usually didn't wander around the village much, only recently visiting Tang Xu more often. However, those people were generally too intimidated by Wei Dong's aura to approach him, let alone gossip about Tang Xu in front of him.
Due to various twists and turns, Wei Dong ended up missing the biggest gossip in the village a few days ago.
The biggest gossip these days was that Wei Dong was going to marry Tang Xu and had given Liu Xiangxiang twenty taels.
People were saying that Liu Xiangxiang was really lucky. She got beaten by Tang Erhu for the twenty taels, but then turned around and got another twenty taels from Wei Dong.
Liu Xiangxiang had been going out with a cheerful demeanor these days. When others asked her if her child was getting married, she, as a mother, was happy.
What did she say? She said Xu Ge'er was getting married well, and how could she, as a mother, not be happy! She didn't have a single word of complaint as before. She even said she would use the money to buy fabric and make a wedding dress for Xu Ge'er, her whole being radiant with joy.
She was truly happy, but only she knew the real reason behind it.
After listening to Wei Xi's words, Wei Dong remained silent for a moment before saying, "If Xu Ge'er didn't mention this matter, don't ask about it. It's not something worth spreading around."
"I'm just angry on behalf of Brother Xu. Fortunately, he's going to marry into our family soon. Brother, you have to treat him well!" Wei Xi stood there with his arms crossed, looking like a little adult, with a serious expression.
Wei Dong chuckled, "Of course, there is no need for you to say this. Go get the utensils. Xu Ge'er made stir-fried rabbit and steamed dried fish."
"I could already smell the aroma earlier. I've steamed some mixed grain rice, and it turned out really well." Wei Xi happily went to serve the rice and dish out the food. They enjoyed the fragrant dinner.
Wei Xi asked again, "Brother, when do you think of going to see Brother Xu?"
"I caught two rabbits to give to him and also told him about going into the mountains tomorrow." Wei Dong took a bite of the steamed fish. The dried fish had a chewy texture due to being sun-dried, and its flavor was savory and delicious. It paired perfectly with the rice. "We'll head into the mountains early tomorrow morning. I'll steam some steamed buns before I go, and you can make some pickles for yourself when you get up."
"Will you come back for lunch?" Wei Xi didn't mind eating pickles with steamed buns, as long as it wasn't his brother's cooking, he found it quite delicious.
"No, I'm taking him to Xiaoyou Mountain to pick fruits. Someone will come tomorrow morning to deliver the jars and jars. You let them leave them at the door, don't let them into the courtyard." There was only Wei Xi at home, and Wei Dong basically didn't allow him to open the door to outsiders.
Wei Xi nodded obediently, "I know, I won't open the door."
The brothers stopped chatting and focused on eating. The stewed rabbit meat with mushrooms was really delicious!
…
On the other side of the Tang family's dining table were these two main dishes, along with two types of pickles.
The small jar of dried radishes given by Auntie Da had been finished, so Tang Xu supplemented it with his own pickled bamboo shoots. He also fried a bowl of dried chili with sour cabbage, which stimulated the taste buds and was appetizing.
The mixed grain steamed buns had a dark color and exuded a warm wheat fragrance.
"This rabbit is quite fat." Tang Erhu poured himself a glass of wine, picked up a piece of rabbit meat, and put it into his mouth, closing his eyes in satisfaction as he chewed. "Did Wei Dong bring over two of them?"
Tang Xu took a bite of the steamed bun and nodded, "Dad, tomorrow we're going to Xiaoyou Mountain for a walk. He said there are ripe fruits on the mountain, and I want to pick some to eat."
Tang Erhu glanced at him, nodding, "Alright, come back early. When you're in the mountains, listen to Wei Dong more, and be careful, you hear me?"
"I know, I know, don't worry, I'll be obedient." Tang Xu replied with a smile.
Liu Xiangxiang sneered beside them, looking disdainful.
Tang Xu watched as Liu Xiangxiang ate the rabbit caught by Wei Dong, the rabbit that he cooked. Her expression seemed to disdain them, almost making him laugh.
Wasn't this like the saying "Pick up the bowl and eat, put down the bowl and curse your mother"? How could she be so critical while eating someone else's food? Maybe she had been given too much face these past few days.
He picked up a piece of steamed fish and put it in his bowl, saying, "Mom, when will you make me some bedding?"
Liu Xiangxiang's meat-chomping action paused, and she glared at him fiercely, she couldn't help it , but facing Tang Erhu's gaze as she replied, "I'll make it right away. Can't you see I'm making clothes for your father and your brothers?"
"What about my clothes? Haven't they been made?" Tang Xu pursued the matter. Tang Erhu took a sip of wine.
Liu Xiangxiang cursed inwardly, thinking Tang Xu always caused trouble for her. However, she forced a dry smile and replied, "Of course they'll be made. Don't worry, I'll definitely have them ready for you to wear on the day of the wedding."
Tang Xu smiled and picked up a rib and put it in her bowl (a fairly large piece with not much meat), affectionately saying, "Thank you, Mom. Eat more and take care of yourself, don't tire yourself out."
Liu Xiangxiang looked at the part of the rib in the bowl that was mostly bone and almost got angry enough to throw the bowl.
Tang Yang, holding his bowl, said to Tang Xu, "Brother, can you also pick a piece for me?"
Tang Xu picked up a piece of thigh meat for Tang Yang, patting his cheek gently, and asked, "Is it delicious?"
"Delicious! Brother, the meat you made is especially fragrant!"
"Recently, there's been a lot of rain, with light showers often at midnight. When you go out to play, bring a basket with you. If you see mushrooms, pick them and bring them back. Then, dry more mushrooms and sell them for copper coins." Tang Xu thought it would be good for the siblings to save up some pocket money themselves.
At least if he wasn't around, Liu Xiangxiang wouldn't dare to bully them too harshly.
But thinking about how they were indeed her own flesh and blood, he felt his approach might be a bit unnecessary. "Brother, I don't want copper coins. I just want to eat the meat you cook." Tang Yang, his mouth oily from eating, looked at Tang Xu with eager eyes.
Tang Xu nodded with a smile, "Okay, then use the copper coins from selling dried mushrooms to buy meat. When I come back, I'll make some jerky for you to chew on when you have nothing to do."
Tang Yang nodded vigorously, full of enthusiasm. "I'll definitely pick a lot of mushrooms!"
"Brother, I want to go to the mountains with Tang Yang to pick mushrooms." Tang Li thought about the three copper coins she had hidden away, feeling excited inside.
"Alright, but don't go too deep into the mountains, and be careful not to slip and fall on the way." Tang Xu was delighted that the siblings were willingly helping out. After all, there wasn't much work to do at home, so it was better to go out and pick mushrooms once they finished their tasks.
The siblings nodded, both feeling happy.
After finishing their meal, Tang Li went to wash the dishes, while Tang Xu thought that they would probably be away for the whole day tomorrow. He prepared some food in the morning to bring with them, so they could have something to eat on the mountain at noon.
"Brother, are you planning on bringing any food with you tomorrow?" Tang Li squatted next to the stove, seeing him looking around in the kitchen, she asked.
Tang Xu nodded. He wanted something convenient to carry and not afraid of getting cold. Steamed buns with pickled vegetables would do, but he didn't want to eat steamed buns for three meals in a row.
"Do you have any suggestions?"
Tang Li put the bowl she was washing on the stove and looked up at him. "Let's eat pancakes. Brother, the pancakes you make are delicious."
"Pancakes, huh? That could work." Tang Xu thought for a moment and decided to make pancakes. He would fry some shredded potatoes and pickled vegetables to roll up in the pancakes. They wouldn't get greasy even when cooled down.
"I'll make pancakes early tomorrow morning. Ah Li, you finish cleaning up and rest early. I'll go back to my room and sleep first."
"Okay." Tang Li nodded obediently.
Tang Xu smiled at her, patted her head, then left the kitchen and went back to his room. He didn't plan on cleaning up. He hadn't sweated much today, so he would wash up when they came back from the mountain tomorrow.
There were two large backpacks leaning against the wall, which he had just finished weaving in preparation for picking fruits in the mountains. He lay down on the bed early, thinking he might not be able to sleep, but to his surprise, after clearing his mind, he fell asleep quickly.
The next day, Tang Xu woke up to the crowing of a rooster while it was still dim outside.
Tang Xu washed up, went to the kitchen to knead the dough, and sliced the potatoes and pickled vegetables into thin shreds before starting to make pancakes. After he finished making the pancakes, he put them in a basin and covered them to keep them soft. Then he started stir-frying the vegetables.
While he was busy bustling around, Tang Li came over, rubbing her eyes.
"Why did you wake up so early?" Tang Xu was surprised to see her.
Tang Li, obviously still half asleep, stood at the doorway of the kitchen and blushed, "I originally wanted to wake up to help you."
"No need, you go back to bed for a while. When it's light out, I'll cook some porridge," Tang Xu looked at her and then said, "After breakfast, you and Ah Yang go pick mushrooms in the mountains, and let Mother take care of the chores in the courtyard."
Lately, Liu Xiangxiang hadn't needed to find excuses for being lazy; she just said she was busy making clothes for the family, and pushed all the chores in the courtyard onto others.
Tang Xu didn't want to argue with her. Anyway, it was only a few days left. He didn't want to waste his energy on her anymore. Besides, there weren't many chores to do. He, Tang Li, and Tang Yang could finish them in no time.
But today was different; they were all going into the mountains. If they didn't do the chores in the courtyard, they would have to leave them until they came back.
The pigs and chickens needed to be fed, the chicken coop needed to be cleaned, the vegetables needed to be watered, the clothes needed to be washed, the courtyard needed to be swept, and they also needed to fetch water. There were plenty of odds and ends to do, and if they left them until they came back, they wouldn't finish them all even by nightfall.
Tang Li nodded. "I know, Brother. If Mother doesn't do it, neither will I. We'll wait for Father to come back and tell her."
Tang Xu smiled and replied, "That's right, let Father decide."
Tang Xu thought about how Wei Dong eats a lot, Tang Xu rolled up ten pancakes.
He was almost full after eating two, so he kept the remaining eight for Wei Dong. He wrapped the pancakes in oil paper and put them in his backpack, along with two water bags and a pair of scissors.
"I'm heading out. If you're not sleeping, keep an eye on the fire," Tang Xu said.
Tang Li nodded and walked him to the door. She saw the tall and sturdy man waiting on the village road. She smiled and waved back at Tang Xu as he looked back at her.
She saw Wei Dong take the large backpack from his brother and stuff something into his brother's mouth. Wei Dong's smile was so charming.
She thought to herself, maybe it's not so bad for her brother to marry Wei Dong after all. At least, he seemed happier than when he was at home.
The environment became even more humid and hot as they entered the Xiaoyu Mountain. There was a shortcut from Yuanbao Mountain to Xiaoyu Mountain, and Wei Dong always took this route. However, the path was steep and narrow, just wide enough for one person to pass.
Tang Xu stood there, looking at the lush trees below the cliff, his lips twitching several times.
"Isn't there a normal path?" He remembered standing here last time, looking towards that direction, but he didn't expect to actually have to take this route.
Wei Dong stood beside him and said, "This path is shorter. If we take a detour, we might not be able to come out of the mountain by nightfall."
Tang Xu took a deep breath, telling himself not to be afraid. Although the path was narrow, it was still passable. He encouraged himself, but still found it hard to take the first step forward.
汤旭 only just realized that he was afraid of heights.
It wasn't exactly a fear of heights; he just couldn't bring himself to walk this treacherous path.
Seeing his fear, Wei Dong shifted the backpack he was carrying to his chest and squatted down in front of him. "Come on, I'll carry you."
Tang Xu looked at Wei Dong's broad back, then glanced at the height of the cliff. Swallowing hard, he climbed onto Wei Dong's back.
He tightly wrapped his arms around Wei Dong's neck and his legs around his waist. "Am I heavy?" he asked anxiously.
Wei Dong, feeling the warmth of Tang Xu's breath on his ear, chuckled as he adjusted the weight on his back. "You're not even as heavy as a bag of grain."
Tang Xu pouted in annoyance. "How dare you!"
Wei Dong carried him steadily forward, not responding to his words, purposely swaying his body a little.
Tang Xu, frightened, tightened his grip on Wei Dong and exclaimed, "What's wrong? Don't sway like that!"
"Why aren't you talking?" Wei Dong teased.
"I'm still angry!"
"Why?"
"You compared me to a bag of grain in terms of weight. Of course, I'm not happy about it."
Wei Dong was bewildered. "But didn't you ask me if you were heavy?"
"Yeah, but you should have said I'm not heavy at all. Even if I were heavy, you could still carry me!"
Wei Dong: "...You're not heavy, I can carry you."
Tang Xu let out a soft snort and chuckled, "I forgive you."
Looking to his left, he saw a variety of trees, some tall and some short, with fruits of different colors peeking through the green leaves.
"Those are apricots, so many of them!" Tang Xu exclaimed.
Wei Dong nodded, "The red ones are quite sweet, while the green ones are especially sour."
"These ones should be ripe enough. It's great! We can pick more and make preserved apricots. They can last a long time without spoiling. And over there, are those mulberry trees? I see small fruits on them. Wow! And that one is a cherry tree, so many small cherries!"
As Wei Dong quickened his pace, the view became even more expansive after they passed the steep cliff path. Tang Xu spotted many fruit trees.
Fresh fruits could fetch a good price at the market in town, yet no one from the village seemed to be picking them.
"From Yuanbao Mountain, this is the only nearby route. If we were to take a detour, we'd have to walk much farther. The fruit trees are concentrated on this side, and probably on the other side too, which perhaps nobody has discovered yet," explained Wei Dong as he continued to carry Tang Xu, enlightening him. "I happened to stumble upon this path by chance. It's easy to get lost in the unfamiliar terrain of Xiaoyou Mountain."
Tang Xu nodded. In dense forests like this, it was easy to take a wrong turn. Wei Dong's ability to navigate freely in the mountains was truly impressive in every aspect.
"Put me down, I'll walk by myself," Tang Xu said, kicking his legs lightly.
Wei Dong ignored him, "I walk fast, we'll be there soon."
True to his word, it wasn't even a quarter of an hour before Wei Dong set Tang Xu down on the ground. The ground was damp and sticky, each step feeling like pulling against a resistance.
Tang Xu glanced down, seeing a thick layer of damp, muddy fallen leaves. The smell wasn't unpleasant, but the sensation of his shoes sinking into it was quite uncomfortable.
"Pick the ripe ones, we'll come back for the rest later," they stood under several tall apricot trees, their branches heavy with fruit.
Tang Xu tiptoed to reach the lower branches, managing to reach the lowest layer of branches. Wei Dong gestured for him to step back and then lightly kicked the trunk. Rustle! Rustle! The branches shook, and the apricots rained down.
Tang Xu was hit a few times and quickly intervened, "Stop, stop, we don't want them to get damaged!"
"It's fine, we'll pick the good ones," Wei Dong replied, giving the trunk another kick before moving to the next tree.
Tang Xu hurriedly bent down to pick up the fallen apricots. Fortunately, most of them were undamaged, thanks to the thick layer of fallen leaves and branches acting as a cushion.
"We should spread a large cloth on the ground next time, so the apricots can fall directly onto it and we can easily gather them up," Tang Xu suggested as he picked up the apricots.
"We'll do that next time," Wei Dong agreed, helping him pick up the apricots. In no time, they had filled a large basket with carefully selected ripe apricots.
“The fruits here are much more abundant than I thought.” Tang Xu picked up a ripe apricot, wiped it clean, and took a bite. It was sweet and sour, with a soft yet slightly crunchy texture. "Let's take these back and dry them to make apricot preserves."
Wei Dong also tried one and seeing Tang Xu's enjoyment, he thought they could come back later for more.
"The mulberry trees over there are ready to be picked too," Tang Xu pointed to some tall trees not far away. "They're too high for you, I'll climb up and pick them."
Wei Dong nodded. "That's how mulberries are. These ones aren't fully ripe yet. When they are, they'll be a dark purple and very sweet."
Tang Xu rubbed his hands together and looked at the trunk before climbing up the tree.
Wei Dong was surprised at how agile Tang Xu was. In just a few moments, he had climbed up the tree.
"Um," Tang Xu sat on a branch and picked a ripe mulberry, popped it into his mouth, and made a sour face. "So sour."
He picked two more and tossed them to Wei Dong. "Try these."
Wei Dong caught them and shook his head expressionlessly. "I won't pick any. We'll come back for them later."
Tang Xu thought for a moment, then picked two more and tried them himself. This time, they tasted sweet after the initial sourness. He remembered that he had eaten two fully ripe apricots earlier, which were particularly sweet. Eating unripe mulberries after that made them taste sour.
"We should pick fewer and take them back for the kids at home. They'll love them." Tang Xu pulled a few branches and quickly wove a small basket, then picked a small basketful of mulberries and climbed down from the tree.
Wei Dong watched him the whole time with his head tilted back. When Tang Xu came down, he said, "You're nothing like the average guy from a regular family."
"Whose gers climbs trees so effortlessly, your movements are too agile."
Tang Xu smirked at him, glanced at the sun obscured by branches, changed the subject and said, "Let's eat, I brought some pancakes."
Wei Dong glanced at him, didn't ask further, nodded and said, "You made me pancakes that time."
That time?
What time?
It took Tang Xu a while to remember. He was talking about the first time he met him. That day, for him, was the first time seeing this person, and he was attracted by his muscular figure!
"Do you like them?" Tang Xu took out the oil-paper wrapped bundle from his basket and handed it to him, "If you like them, I'll make them often."
Wei Dong nodded, "I like whatever you make." The simplest words are the most touching. Tang Xu found that this description was truly fitting for Wei Dong.
They found a slope to sit down, eating pancakes while observing which fruits around were ripe for picking. Apart from apricots and cherries, other fruits like mulberries were also ready to be picked. There were also two peach trees with small peaches, already tinged with red.
"Are the peaches sweet?"
"They're okay. There are jujubes over there, just started bearing fruit now, we'll pick them when they ripen."
"What else?"
"Are there strawberries?"
"What do strawberries look like?" Wei Dong asked him.
"It's something that grows on the ground, red, with lots of tiny seeds on top." Tang Xu described it to him.
Wei Dong thought for a moment and nodded, "It seems like there are, but not around here, and they're not ripe yet. Let's come back to see when they're ripe."
"Okay." Tang Xu decided to pick two large baskets of apricots to take back, and then some cherries and mulberries, which would be enough. Tang Xu made a few more small baskets after finishing the pancakes, and filled them with ripe cherries.
On the way back, Tang Xu suggested taking a detour. Even though Wei Dong was strong, he didn't want to risk it with carrying these two large baskets of fruit. Besides, it was still early, and they might find other edible things on the way down the mountain.
Along the way, his eyes were scanning the ground, and he actually found something.
"These are persimmons, tomatoes!" He squatted down and smelled the deep green seedlings, the familiar scent!
"Hurry, dig them out and plant them in the courtyard," Tang Xu instructed Wei Dong to dig out the seedlings while he searched around. He found three more, "Great, if we can grow these, we can have tomatoes with scrambled eggs!"
Wei Dong dug out the seedlings while being especially careful not to damage the main roots. Tang Xu once again pulled branches to weave baskets to put the seedlings in.
On the way down the mountain, the tomato seedlings went from four to eight, making him extremely happy. His cheeks were flushed red, and he was sweating.
Wei Dong felt sorry for him and wanted to help him carry the baskets.
Tang Xu declined, "I'll carry one basket, the rest is all on you. Let's hurry and get back to deal with these."
Feeling internally heated and not feeling tired at all, when he saw the stack of jars of various sizes outside Wei Dong's mansion gate, he excitedly rushed over and hugged the man's arm, his eyes sparkling like stars, "You are truly my great hero!"
Wei Dong blushed at his unexpected praise, coughed lightly, "Uh, as long as you're happy."
They busied themselves planting the tomato seedlings in the ground, and when they saw the tidy front and back yards, Tang Xu was even more satisfied. This was the big courtyard he wanted!
He packed a small portion of apricots in a basket to take back, and also filled small baskets with mulberries and cherries, "I'll take these back, and leave the rest here. Mulberries and cherries can be cooked in sugar syrup and stored in jars to last a few days. Once the apricots are cooked, I'll come tomorrow to dry them."
Tang Xu spoke to Wei Dong while slicing apricots. Wei Dong was standing beside him, holding a small bowl of cherries, enjoying them thoroughly.
Wei Dong nodded as he listened, "Alright, even if something goes wrong, it's not a big deal. Anyway, there are plenty of fruits on the mountain with nobody to pick them."
Tang Xu thought to himself that it was great that nobody was picking them, as when they ripened, he would pick them all and make preserved fruits to sell, ensuring a good income for himself!
He had good intentions, but unfortunately, plans change quickly. For the next ten days, it rained continuously, with no good weather in sight. As the wedding day approached, neither he nor Wei Dong went back into the mountains to pick fruits again.
And his little brother, whom Tang Xu hadn't seen since he came here, had returned. His return was as hurried as his departure.
Tang Rui arrived home on the fourth day of May. He heard that the eldest brother at home had arranged his marriage with someone from the village, and the wedding would take place in ten days. This young man expressed regret that he wouldn't be able to attend the wedding banquet as he had to return to school on the tenth day.
Not to mention Tang Xu, even his little brother didn't have much of an impression of this eldest brother. How should I put it, it seemed like Tang Rui had always been away from home.
He had embarked on the path of learning very early, and as for how well he was doing in his studies, it was unclear, but he certainly looked quite scholarly in his scholar's robe while walking and talking.
At that time, when Tang Erhu heard his words, his face turned ugly. If it weren't for Liu Xiangxiang holding him back, he would have slapped Tang Rui on the head.
"I still have to study with the teacher at school, I really don't have time to attend the wedding banquet at home," Tang Rui glanced at Tang Xu, pursed his lips, stood up and bowed to him, "Please forgive me, elder brother."
Tang Xu nodded, smiled at him, and waved his hand, "Studying is the most important thing. Study well, Mother still hopes you'll pass the imperial examination and become an official, which will change our family's fortunes."
Tang Rui frowned disapprovingly and said, "Studying isn't just about becoming an official. Mother shouldn't always think about these things."
Tang Xu watched from the side, amazed, thinking this child was so stiff, with barely any expression on his face.
He didn't say anything more, instead holding the wedding clothes that Liu Xiangxiang had finally finished making.
Tang Yang and Tang Li didn't have much to say to Tang Rui, their eldest brother. The four siblings sat there, and an awkward silence descended upon them.
Liu Xiangxiang couldn't take her eyes off her eldest son, asking him several questions.
Seeing Tang Rui's impatient frown, Tang Xu, not wanting to witness their motherly affection and filial piety, decided to get up and said, "I'll go back to my room and try on the wedding clothes. You guys chat."
He took the new clothes to his room and tried them on. Leaving aside other things, Liu Xiangxiang's skill in making clothes was passable. At least, she sewed quite neatly.
The wedding clothes were in the style of a long robe, made of simple red fabric with a few embroidered flowers on it. He couldn't tell what kind of fabric it was, but it didn't feel as smooth as the two pieces of fabric that Wei Dong had bought. He knew Liu Xiangxiang couldn't possibly afford to buy him anything good.
But as long as there was a wedding outfit to wear, it conveyed the intended message.
The clothes and the quilt were made of the same red fabric, with not much cotton filling, just a thin layer. He sighed, well, he didn't expect his frugal mother to give him anything good anyway.
Time flew by, and on the fifteenth day, early in the morning, the eldest aunt and two other aunts from the same family came to help prepare the food. Tang Xu sat in the room wearing his wedding clothes, bored, propping up his chin and yawning.
He only then learned that here, the wedding and welcoming the bride took place in the late afternoon.
During the day, they were busy with eating and drinking, and after the bride arrived, they continued eating and drinking. So, the whole day was just about eating and drinking. He went out to greet the relatives who had come and received compliments after compliments.
To be honest, he was tired and bored, with a smile that felt forced on his face.
He was just idling around here, while Liu Xiangxiang was as busy as a bee, receiving one gift after another. Even if they weren't silver coins, it made her extremely happy, which made outsiders think she was very pleased with this marriage and satisfied with her son-in-law.
"Can she be dissatisfied? They gave twenty taels!"
"Look at how stingy she is, she didn't even buy some good fabric for Xu Ge's wedding clothes."
"It's already good enough that this marriage went through. If she doesn't cause any trouble today, she should thank her lucky stars."
At dusk, Wei Dong came to escort the bride. Tang Xu didn't know where he managed to get a tall and majestic horse, with a large red flower adorning its head. Behind it were several young men, laughing and lifting a grand flower sedan chair.
When Tang Xu saw this scene as he stepped out, he almost regretted it. A grown man sitting in a flower sedan chair, that was a first!
Who told him how to act in this situation?
He thought it was just a simple wedding escort, but elder brother, could you please inform me in advance about all these things you've arranged!!!
But he had to put on a brave face!
Tang Xu sat in the flower sedan chair, and the music and singing started, making it lively.
The journey passed by in a blur. The sedan chair was a bit hard to sit on, not very comfortable. When they arrived at Wei's mansion, there were red lanterns, red wedding banners, and four tables set up in the courtyard. Wei Dong held Tang Xu's hand and entered the house to pay respects to the heavens and earth.
When they were called out of the bridal chamber, Tang Xu was pulled inside. The room was lit with red candles, and outside, another round of feasting began.
Tang Xu sat on the kang, tugging at his collar, and his stomach growled a few times. He was hungry. Leaning against the window, he watched as Wei Dong was being pulled to drink, one cup after another, without even blinking, pouring drinks into his own cup.
Several young men were joking and laughing with him, and surprisingly, Wei Dong had a smile on his face the whole time, not feeling annoyed by their chatter.
As night fell, the wedding banquet was coming to an end.
Tang Xu was eating the food that Wei Xi had brought in for him and asked, "Are those people all from the Wei family?"
Wei Xi glanced at them and shook his head, "I don't know them. My brother said the banquet should be lively, so he invited anyone he doesn't find too annoying."
Tang Xu was chewing on the meat in his mouth and almost burst out laughing at his words.
What did he mean by "not too annoying"?
This kid sure had a way with words.
"Brother Xu, should I start calling you Brother-in-law from now on?" Wei Xi held his face and watched him eat, his eyes shining brightly. "I'm so happy. I've been looking forward to you marrying into our family every day."
After saying this, he realized it sounded a bit odd, so he added, "My brother is looking forward to it too."
Tang Xu smiled at him, "Did you borrow those tables from the neighbors for the courtyard?"
"Yeah, they'll come over tomorrow morning to clean up themselves. My brother gave them some money, so you don't have to get up early." Wei Xi didn't mean anything else by this, but it made Tang Xu blush.
What did he mean by "you don't have to get up early"?
Kids these days were so direct with their words!
He's so young, how does he know so much!
"Brother Xu, why are you blushing? Is it hot?" Wei Xi stood up and pushed open the window, letting the cool evening breeze in.
Tang Xu quickly finished the food in his bowl. "Go tell your brother not to drink so much."
"My brother is drinking watered-down wine," Wei Xi giggled, covering his mouth. "He added a lot of water to his wine pot, so it has a bit of a wine flavor."
Tang Xu: "..." No wonder someone had just tried to pour wine for Wei Dong from the pot on the table and he had avoided it. He had poured it himself, but apparently the pot didn't contain the same kind of wine.
After the banquet, Wei Dong and Wei Xi went to see the guests off together.
When everyone had left, Wei Dong asked, "Did your brother-in-law eat?"
Wei Xi nodded, "Yes, I brought it to him. Brother, you should go inside quickly. I'm going back to my room to sleep."
Wei Dong just made a sound of acknowledgement but didn't go inside. Instead, he went to the kitchen to fetch a basin of hot water and went to the backyard to wash himself.
Tang Xu had already cleaned himself up in the morning, and now he was sitting on the kang in his wedding clothes, feeling a bit nervous.
When Wei Dong entered, their eyes met, and things heated up.
Enough said, action was all that mattered!
After their intimate moment, they finally stopped when the candles burned out.
Tang Xu drifted off to sleep, unaware of being cleaned and cared for.
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