| TBBOTOF | 44
The matter of hiring a digging client was put on the agenda. That night, when Tang Xu was lying on the kang bed half asleep, he confirmed with Wei Dong again whether they could start digging. After receiving an affirmative answer, he happily turned over and fell asleep.
Wei Dong was left supporting the large tent, taking a while to settle down.
On the other side of the story...
On the day Tang Xu got married, Liu Xiangxiang had shown off a bit, eagerly anticipating Tang Xu's return to her natal home. There was no such thing as a mother-son bond in her mind; she was only thinking about the return gift.
Thinking that Wei Dong could bring in a high-status horse and even arranged for a sedan chair, it was obvious they weren't short of money. So, she figured Tang Xu ought to bring back more gifts for her.
But as she waited and waited, days passed with no sign of Tang Xu's return.
He didn't come back on the second day, nor the third.
Liu Xiangxiang was furious, thinking that Tang Xu, this ungrateful wretch, had forgotten his roots and didn't even return to his natal home! Even Tang Erhu was getting annoyed; there had been fewer conversations these past few days.
Tang Li and Tang Yang, siblings, were also feeling down. They missed their brother.
Leaving aside other things, at least when their brother was home, they ate well. But since he left, the food quality had dropped drastically. Their mother wasn't cooking properly anymore!
Even though Tang Xu had just gotten married, they were already starting to miss the days when he was at home.
Because of Tang Xu's marriage, the atmosphere in the Tang household had been low for three days.
Early on the fourth day, Tang Erhu saw the pot of thin porridge and some pancakes, along with a bowl of hastily stir-fried pickled vegetables, and he was furious. Slamming his chopsticks onto the table, he yelled at Liu Xiangxiang.
"You can't even cook a decent meal, yet you complain all the time! Is this how you manage the household?" Liu Xiangxiang was startled, swallowing the bite of pancake in her mouth before murmuring softly, "I've always cooked like this, it's not like you're eating it for the first time."
It wasn't that her cooking was bad; it was just that Tang Xu's cooking was too good. People, once they've had the best, find it hard to settle for less. Tang Xu had spoiled their appetites in just two short months.
Apart from Tang Erhu's dissatisfaction, Liu Xiangxiang herself wasn't entirely happy with the meals she prepared. But what could she do? Tang Xu wasn't coming back!
With a snort, Tang Erhu decided not to eat and got up to leave.
As Tang Xu pushed the door from outside, Tang Erhu pulled it from inside. One carried a basket, the other held a hoe.
"Dad!" Tang Xu called out with a smile.
"Hmph! So you still know how to come back!" Tang Erhu glared at him with a dark expression.
Tang Xu remembered the last three days and blushed, chuckling at his father.
"How could you forget? When I got married, nobody reminded me either. Dad, why did you leave so early without eating?"
Tang Erhu grunted in response, his face still stern.
Tang Xu was surprised. "Didn't Mom cook?"
"She did," Tang Erhu replied shortly before turning back toward the house. Tang Xu glanced back at Wei Dong behind him, signaling him to follow.
"Brother! Is it Brother who's back?" Tang Yang ran out from the main hall and spotted Tang Xu, rushing towards him. Wei Dong stretched out his hand to stop him, and Tang Yang glared at him resentfully.
With just a glance, Wei Dong managed to quiet down the little troublemaker.
Kids, always full of surprises.
He moved towards Tang Xu with a grievance, but was caught by Wei Dong by the back of his neck and dared not move.
Wuwuwu, this big brother is bullying people!
Tang Yang reached out to Tang Xu, "Brother, save me!"
Liu Xiangxiang and Tang Li also came out from the hall. Tang Li greeted him with a delighted face, walking briskly towards them, while Liu Xiangxiang stood at the door without moving, her eyes fixed on the basket slung over Tang Xu's shoulder, waiting for someone to bring it to her.
And what happened?
Tang Xu saw Tang Erhu put down the hoe and immediately handed the basket to him, saying, "Dad, Wei Dong went to town yesterday to buy you some wine, it's really fragrant, smell it."
He ignored such a big piece of meat, such a big piece of candy, and focused on that small jar of wine!
When they left, they were carrying a bamboo basket, but Tang Xu said it wouldn't do, it didn't look like there was much, and they couldn't let others see, so they switched to a vegetable basket.
Wei Dong was the one carrying the vegetable basket filled with goods, and Tang Xu only took it over at the door.
Along the way, anyone who saw them would ask if they were returning home, and also said they were coming back late.
Tang Xu didn't say much, just smiled all the way back to the Tang family, and then those people saw what Wei Dong was holding. That big piece of pork, with fat and lean, must have been three or four catties!
And those two big pieces of candy!
And the wine! That's wine! In rural households, if there's no celebration, who would buy wine!
They swaggered all the way back, even though everyone knew they were coming back late, no one said much. After all, the gifts Tang Xu brought back were substantial! At this moment, how could Tang Xu not see that Liu Xiangxiang wanted the basket?
He saw it, but just didn't want to give it!
Tang Erhu held the basket in one hand and lifted the small wine jar with the other, taking a sniff. Even with the stopper on, he could smell the strong aroma of the wine. He breathed deeply a few times, his previously dark complexion fading, with a slight flush on his cheeks. Was he getting drunk without even drinking?
Tang Yang took the opportunity to pounce on Tang Xu, reaching out to hug his leg.
Wei Dong gave him a disdainful glance but didn't pull the child away in front of their parents.
Tang Li came over and reached out to take the basket from Tang Erhu's hand, asking Tang Xu, "Brother, why did you come back so late? We missed you."
"Hmm... forgot." Tang Xu lightly tapped her forehead and smiled, asking her, "Have you had breakfast?"
Tang Li secretly rolled her eyes and gave him a meaningful look.
Tang Yang, on the other hand, was more direct, raising his face and shouting, "Mom's cooking isn't good, Dad's even angry!"
Tang Xu glanced at Tang Erhu holding the wine jar, the middle-aged man's face turned red, "Your mom's cooking isn't that good."
Liu Xiangxiang gritted her teeth in anger, walked over, snatched the basket from Tang Li's hands, hmphed, and muttered, "Finally decided to come back! I thought you were gone for good, not planning to come back to your mother's house."
Tang Xu looked aggrieved, "Mom didn't tell me to come back, how would I know? It's my first time being married."
Liu Xiangxiang took a deep breath, carried the basket, and went to the kitchen, "If you don't know, why don't you ask?"
Tang Xu ignored her and took Wei Dong to the hall.
Wei Dong was like a mute, not saying a word after coming in, mainly because he didn't have a chance to greet his in-laws. It seemed like both of them were too preoccupied.
In the hall, there was a table with breakfast on it. Tang Xu thought to himself, no wonder his "cheap" father-in-law put down his chopsticks. This breakfast wasn't any better than what Wei Dong could make.
Since he came over to this side, it seemed like Liu Xiangxiang hardly cooked anymore. Even if she did, she never ate it herself. She didn't seem interested in trying.
They came back early, originally not planning to have a meal here.
Tang Erhu heard that they were just going to sit for a while and then leave, and he said with a serious face, "No, how can you leave without eating after coming back? You go to the kitchen and make some snacks to accompany the drinks. Wei Dong and I will have a few drinks."
With the head of the household speaking, Tang Xu turned to look at Wei Dong, asking for his opinion. Wei Dong nodded, "I didn't get to drink with Dad during the wedding, so this meal can make up for it."
Since he said so, Tang Xu didn't want to spoil the mood either. He glanced at the leftover porridge and pancakes on the table and thought for a moment, "Mom, let's stir-fry these pancakes for lunch, take out a couple of dried fish I dried recently, steam them, then stew some meat, stir-fry some vegetables, prepare a cold dish, and make soup. That should be enough."
Four dishes and a soup, that should suffice.
When Liu Xiangxiang heard that meat dishes were going to be made, her expression changed, but she held back and didn't say anything. If she prevented them from eating the meat Tang Xu brought back, Tang Erhu would surely teach her a lesson later.
Liu Xiangxiang adhered to the principle of "out of sight, out of mind" and simply turned around and went back to the room, leaving them in the hall. Tang Erhu didn't like her attitude, but he couldn't scold his wife in front of his son-in-law, so he endured it.
"Dad, aren't you going to the fields?" Tang Xu thought since he was going to cook, if his father didn't go out, Wei Dong could chat with him.
Tang Erhu thought for a moment and nodded, "Not going today. I'm happy you guys are back. Taking a day off won't hurt."
"Then let my husband chat with Dad. I'll go prepare the food," Tang Xu signaled to Wei Dong with his eyes.
Wei Dong felt a strange satisfaction when Tang Xu addressed him as "husband."
Seeing his gaze, Wei Dong nodded, indicating that it was fine.
Tang Xu took his younger siblings to the kitchen, and first poured two bowls of water. "Ah Yang, take these bowls of water to Dad and your brother-in-law. When you come back, go to the field and pick two cucumbers, and also pick some sweet potato leaves."
"Oh, big brother, can you make something delicious for me? I haven't eaten enough for several days," Tang Yang hugged Tang Xu's leg, acting spoiled.
Tang Xu laughed and pinched his chubby cheeks, noting the difference between his touch and Wei Xi's.
"You haven't eaten enough but you don't seem to have lost weight."
Tang Yang whimpered pitifully.
"Alright, have you finished all the jerky I made for you last time?"
"We finished it a long time ago. Big brother, can you make some more for me? Make plenty this time," Tang Li chimed in eagerly.
It seems like they really enjoy the jerky.
Tang Xu thought for a moment and said, "Dried mushrooms don't fetch a good price right now, but once autumn comes and there are fewer mushrooms in the mountains, the prices for these dried goods will increase.
While it's been raining frequently lately, both of you should go to the mountains often and collect as many dried mushrooms as you can. Then, when the time comes, sell them together. Give Mom a small portion of the money you earn, and the rest is for you two to split. You can use it to buy meat or whatever else you need."
It's not feasible for them to keep all the money to themselves, and Liu Xiangxiang isn't blind. If they go out collecting mushrooms every day but come back without any money, Liu Xiangxiang, with her temperament, would definitely make a fuss about it.
"When you go play by the river or in the muddy ponds, try to pick up some small snails. They can be tasty when stir-fried," Tang Xu suggested, initially thinking of suggesting he catch small crayfish, but considering their availability, he didn't mention it.
Tang Yang nodded vigorously, his eyes shining brightly.
He wasn't afraid of getting tired, and he could run far. After collecting a lot of snails, he could take them all to the large mansion of the Wei family! At this moment, Tang Xu hadn't realized the captivating power of beauty.
Encouraged by his big brother's words, Tang Yang busied himself enthusiastically, helping in the hall and then going to the field to pick vegetables. After finishing those tasks, he hurried back to the kitchen, took a basin, and started washing vegetables with great seriousness, his expression slightly solemn.
Tang Xu observed for a moment and noticed that Tang Yang hadn't crushed the sweet potato leaves. He then turned to look at Tang Li, who was standing quietly on the side. "Ah Li, do you have any snacks you'd like? If big brother can't make it, I can still prepare some simple snacks."
Tang Li thought seriously for a while and then shook her head. "Big brother, what are snacks? Are they like pastry? I've only had jujube cakes once when Big Brother brought them back, and Mom gave me a small piece."
"Jujube cakes?" Tang Xu thought about the jujube cakes he had eaten before, to be honest, he didn't like them much. "Do you like them? If you do, I can make them for you."
"No," Tang Li felt a bit embarrassed as she leaned closer to him. She whispered, "Big brother, could you make something else for me? Something I haven't tried before."
Tang Xu found it amusing in his heart but maintained a serious demeanor on his face, leaning his head slightly as he asked in a low voice, "So, do you like sweet or savory snacks?"
Tang Li's face lit up with a warm smile as she looked up at him. "I like sweet ones."
"Alright, I'll make something sweet for you when I go back," he said, expecting her to nod, but she shook her head vigorously.
"What's wrong?"
Tang Li pinched her fingertips, glanced at the kitchen door, and saw that Liu Xiangxiang hadn't suddenly appeared. Feeling a bit relieved, she said, "If we bring it back, Mom will definitely put it away. Ah Yang and I will only get to eat a little bit, and she'll save it for Big Brother."
Tang Xu sighed.
He remembered seeing Liu Xiangxiang take Tang Rui aside into the room when he came back recently. They stayed in there for quite some time, and he had no idea what they were up to.
He had thought that Liu Xiangxiang was avoiding them to give Tang Rui money, but now he realized she might have been hiding delicious food to give to him privately.
The problem is, no matter how delicious something is, if it's left for too long, the taste changes.
Can Tang Rui, who is studying in the county, miss out on good food?
Among the four children in the family, even if he doesn't consider himself, Tang Li and Tang Yang, who are both Liu Xiangxiang's biological children, cannot compare to Tang Rui.
As the youngest son, Tang Yang probably ranks higher in Liu Xiangxiang's heart. Tang Li is a bit better than himself.
He sighed and gently poked the soft cheek of the young girl. "Then you..."
He initially wanted to suggest tomorrow, but suddenly changed his mind. "The day after tomorrow, come over. Tell Ah Yang to go mushroom picking with you. You two will go to the neighboring village. Do you know where my house is?"
Tang Li was momentarily surprised when he said "my house," but then nodded. "Yes, I know. We went there when we escorted Big Brother on his wedding day."
"You two went too?" Tang Xu really hadn't noticed them that day. Mainly because once they got into the sedan chair, his mind was elsewhere. He barely remembered the ceremony.
Tang Li nodded, and Tang Yang, sitting on a small wooden stool, raised his face and said crisply, "The villagers all went to see the excitement, but they didn't enter the courtyard. Sister and I went in and stayed for the banquet before leaving."
After he finished speaking, he licked his lips, "Big brother, the banquet that day was delicious, just like our own feasts."
"You're happy as long as you can eat meat," Tang Xu said, taking the basin of washed sweet potato leaves from him. "Go with your sister the day after tomorrow. Make sure you don't let it slip, okay?"
Tang Yang nodded. Despite his young age, he had quite a bit of savvy. He was willing to go far just for a good meal, let alone keep secrets from his biased mother.
Inside the house, Wei Dong and Tang Erhu sat facing each other at the table, silent.
Neither of them was particularly outgoing, and without Tang Xu to mediate, the atmosphere felt cold.
Wei Dong took a deep breath and decided to take the initiative.
Awkwardly, he tried to start a conversation. "Dad, you manage so many fields by yourself. Haven't you thought about getting some help?"
Tang Erhu thought about his fields for a moment, then drank from his bowl. "There's no need for help. I can manage on my own."
"I don't know how to farm. Mishandling the fields would just ruin them," Wei Dong responded.
Tang Erhu nodded in agreement with a tinge of melancholy. "Not just anyone can farm. If the land is mishandled, the harvest will suffer. I heard you've leased out your land?"
"Yes, I don't know how to farm either. It's better to let someone who can farm take care of it. As long as I get enough grain and beans to eat each year," Wei Dong admitted generously.
Earlier, because he didn't have money to treat Wei Xi's illness, Wei Dong sold the ancestral land. Later, as he accumulated more money, he gradually bought back a considerable amount of land.
The ancestral land that was sold was also repurchased from others, along with land purchased from the government. He leased out all the land, including dry and irrigated fields.
Why did he only accept grain instead of money for rent?
Wei Dong explained that he didn't value the rent in the form of melons, vegetables, or dates; he preferred grain. He could sell the surplus grain if he couldn't consume it all, which saved him from buying grain with money.
Seeing Tang Erhu looking somewhat regretful, as if not being able to farm himself was a significant loss, Wei Dong understood that for a farmer, the more land one has, the more secure they feel, so he didn't say much more.
After exchanging a few more words, they fell silent again.
"Honey~~~" Tang Xu's voice came from outside, and Wei Dong's ears perked up. He quickly stood up, "Dad, I'll go take a look outside."
Tang Erhu nodded, feeling relieved. It was too awkward for them to sit facing each other like this.
Once Wei Dong left, Tang Erhu paced around the house for a moment, then decided to pick up the hoe and head to the fields. As he left, he instructed, "Make sure to prepare the meal and have Ah Yang call me when he goes to the fields."
Tang Xu replied, "Got it, Dad!"
The small wooden stool in the Tang family was lower than the one in Wei Dong's house, making Wei Dong feel cramped. With his long legs, he had nowhere comfortable to place them, so he had to spread them out and rest them against the corner, with the bowl of potatoes in between.
"What did you talk to my dad about?" Tang Xu asked.
Wei Dong stared at him for a moment.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Tang Xu wondered.
Wei Dong sighed in frustration. "It's just that. We exchanged glances, then talked briefly about the fields. I asked him if he ever thought about getting help with all the fields he's managing. He said he's fine on his own. Then he asked if I've leased out the fields, and I said yes. And that was it."
Tang Xu couldn't stop laughing, lowering his head against the man's back. "I called you out here to save him, but it killed you didn't it?"
Wei Dong felt exhausted. "Yeah, I'd rather just work."
Tang Li, who was nearby, found it amusing as well. She placed the pieces of dried fish she had cut into a large bowl and said, "Brother, what else do you need? I'll help you prepare."
"I need minced garlic and chopped green onions. Go to the yard and pick some green onions, Ah Yang!" Tang Xu called out to Tang Yang, who was chasing after a hen in the yard. "Ask Mom for three pennies and buy a block of tofu."
Tang Yang acknowledged and ran off to the main house.
Hearing Tang Xu's request, Liu Xiangxiang unexpectedly took out three copper coins in advance. Without waiting for Tang Yang to ask for money, she handed over the coins. "Here, buy a larger block."
"Three coins won't be enough for a larger block," Tang Yang reached out, "Mom, can you give me another penny?"
Liu Xiangxiang ushered him out while pushing him. "Go on, always asking for money! You think earning copper coins is easy!"
Tang Yang retorted, "The copper coins in Mom's hand were earned by Sister and me. Last time, we sold the wild mushrooms we picked in the mountains. Brother said the coins from the sale should also be divided among us. That's called labor income!"
Liu Xiangxiang was furious and raised her hand to hit him.
Tang Yang turned around and ran off.
Before getting married, Tang Xu went to the town to buy some snacks for the wedding feast, along with the dried mushrooms dried by his siblings. He sold most of the basket for half a tael of silver.
Tang Xu knew Boss Wu's words were correct. He thanked him for the five hundred copper coins and was about to leave when he was stopped.
He was stopped because of the menu. The recent month's hot-selling dishes had indeed brought in a lot of silver for the restaurant. However, as the weather became hotter, Chef Liu's shaved ice desserts weren't selling as well. Fried foods were also less popular in the hot weather. Not only the shaved ice desserts but the restaurant's business was also affected by the recent weather conditions.
Boss Wu wanted to ask Tang Xu if there were any refreshing dishes available, at least to keep the business booming during the hot summer days.
When Tang Xu heard this, he felt like Boss Wu was daydreaming. In this day and age without air conditioning or electric fans, who would be willing to sit in a restaurant to eat? People would rather stay at home and have servants fan them to keep cool.
He didn't give Boss Wu a direct answer but said he would think about it and let him know later. He didn't want to turn down business that came to him. As for what dishes could be eaten in the summer, there were plenty of options.
This matter, delayed due to his own wedding, Tang Xu hadn't had the chance to taste the finished product yet. As for whether it was suitable to be sold in the restaurant, that wasn't something he could decide.
But let's put that matter aside for now.
Tang Xu muttered to himself, "Cucumber and egg soup, pork stew with potatoes, steamed fish jerky, garlic stir-fried sweet potato leaves, tofu mixed with chopped scallions, and the morning pancakes stir-fried with dried wild celery - that should be enough."
Tang Xu patted Wei Dong's shoulder, "I'll simmer some mixed grain rice later. When it's time to eat, make sure to save some, or my mother will faint with distress."
The men in his family indeed had huge appetites. Regardless of the taste of this meal, Adong would eat heartily. He could eat enough to match his muscular build.
Wei Dong nodded, "Okay."
With only one pot available, Tang Xu first simmered the mixed grain rice. Once the rice was cooked, he would steam the fish jerky. Even when the fish jerky cooled down, it would still taste good. The meat pieces were cut smaller, stewed with potatoes, and cooked quickly over high heat.
When the stewed meat was ready, Tang Xu called out to Tang Yang, "Go to the field and bring Dad back. It's time for dinner."
Tang Yang, tempted by the aroma of the meat, couldn't move his feet. Tang Xu amusingly stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth and pinched his cheek, "Hurry up, when you come back, we'll start eating."
Tang Yang nodded and ran off.
Tang Li placed the food on the table, with hot water boiling in the pot. Tang Xu held a bowl and beat the eggs, making a clattering sound. After the water boiled, he poured the beaten eggs into it, followed by adding cucumber strips and salt, then served the dish.
"Huh, you can cook soup with cucumbers?" Wei Dong exclaimed beside them. He usually just washed cucumbers and ate them directly, dipping them in soy sauce if he wanted some flavor.
Tang Xu turned to look at him, like he was caring for the mentally retarded.
Wei Dong's face twitched; he understood Tang Xu's gaze.
"What kind of life did you and Xiao Xi have before?" Tang Xu handed him the bowl of soup. "Raising him wasn't easy."
Wei Dong took the soup, leaned down, and bit him on the cheek. "Hmm, thank the heavens."
Tang Li came back just in time to see this scene, her face flushing red.
Gosh, can't they be a bit more discreet!!!
Wei Dong showed no shame on his face, carried the bowl out, and Tang Xu had a faint red mark on his face, along with a shiny saliva mark.
Tang Xu also had a blush on his face, coughed lightly.
Wiped his face.
"Brother..." Tang Li's cheeks were red, and she dared not look at his face, "I, I, I, I..."
"No need to say anything, I understand," Tang Xu waved his hand, feeling tired.
He turned around to blanch the tofu with hot water, then cut it into small pieces and placed it in a bowl with chopped spring onions. He scooped a spoonful of soybean paste into the bowl and mixed it together. "Take it away."
Tang Li carried the bowl out, while Tang Xu cleaned the pot. He scooped out a chunk of fatty pork and put it in the pot, then fried some minced garlic. The sweet potato leaves were quickly cooked with a slight blanch, filling the room with the aroma of garlic.
"Brother, we're back!" Tang Yang ran into the courtyard and straight to the kitchen.
"Where's dad?" Tang Xu put the garlic-infused sweet potato leaves into a bowl and casually said, "Wash your hands."
Tang Yang turned to wash his hands, saying, "I ran back, and dad will be back soon too."
Tang Xu nodded, "Bring the bowls and chopsticks in."
The dining table in the main room was already wiped clean and filled with food, a full spread.
"Your dad wants to drink, Xu Ge'er, bring the wine pot over." Liu Xiangxiang sat on a small wooden stool, directing Tang Xu.
Tang Xu put down the bowl and turned to fetch the wine.
He brought over the fine wine he had just brought and placed it on the table. Liu Xiangxiang glared directly at him, "I told you to bring the wine pot, who told you to bring the wine jar, we can't finish such a big jar of wine."
"What can't be finished, just drink this," Tang Erhu walked in from outside, shaking off the water droplets from his hands. "I have to have a few more bowls with my brother-in-law."
Wei Dong nodded, "Alright, I'll drink with dad."
Tang Xu thought to himself, you drank fake wine on your wedding day, will you get drunk today with real wine? Wei Dong winked at him, reassuring him that he had a good tolerance for alcohol.
Tang Xu also knew that he couldn't stop this kind of drinking between his father and his husband, so he didn't say much and served everyone food.
Liu Xiangxiang ate her meal silently, feeling a bit oppressed. She didn't utter a word while eating, and even after she was full, she didn't leave the table.
Watching Tang Erhu and Wei Dong drinking bowl after bowl, it seemed like they wanted to finish this small jar of wine.
"Master, drink a little less and eat more."
"What's wrong with you, woman? Why are you stopping the men from drinking?" Tang Erhu looked displeased and sprayed her face with the smell of alcohol. Liu Xiangxiang wrinkled her brows at the smell but held back.
Tang Xu served Tang Erhu and Wei Dong each a bowl of soup. "Dad, have some soup to go along with it, don't drink too quickly, be careful not to get a stomachache later."
Tang Erhu nodded, obediently holding the bowl and taking a big sip of egg soup. With a flushed face, he patted Wei Dong on the shoulder, "You lucky guy, marrying our Xu Ge'er back home. Look at how good our Xu Ge'er is, good-looking, good at cooking, filial, and caring! You're lucky!"
Wei Dong's face also turned red, nodding in agreement, "Yes, dad is right. Marrying Xu Ge'er back home is my blessing. He's exceptionally, exceptionally, exceptionally good!"
Tang Xu massaged his temples, feeling resigned—two drunks. Tang Li held her bowl, forgetting to bring the meat to her mouth with her chopsticks, amused by her brother-in-law's drunken state.
Tang Yang shuffled closer to Tang Xu and whispered, "Brother, are you guys going back after dinner?"
Tang Xu nodded, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "What's up?"
"Can I go to your house to play?" Tang Yang stuck to Tang Xu, "I want to stay with you for a while. When you're at home, I don't feel much, but when you're not here, I miss you a lot."
Tang Xu couldn't resist the soft look of anticipation in the child's eyes, nodding, "Sure, I have a little brother over there who's not feeling well. If you go, you can't disturb him, but you can play with him."
"Okay!" Tang Yang's eyes lit up with joy.
Tang Li looked at Tang Yang with envy; she also wanted to go.
"Mom," she turned to ask, "Can I also go to Brother's house? We won't come back for dinner tonight, so you don't have to cook another meal."
Liu Xiangxiang initially didn't want the siblings to go, but thinking about not having to cook dinner, she nodded in agreement.
"Alright, but come back early."
Tang Yang's face lit up with surprise; Mom actually agreed! He had been planning to sneak out!
"Brother, is it okay? We'll have dinner at your house!"
Tang Xu nudged Wei Dong with his elbow, smiling, "Is it okay?"
Wei Dong nodded, "Okay."
Tang Erhu became more talkative after drinking, going on and on without end. He also liked to repeat himself. Tang Xu was getting sleepy listening to him, but Wei Dong seemed to be enjoying himself.
After finishing a jar of wine, Tang Erhu was already drunk. Wei Dong helped him back to the kang (a traditional Chinese heated bed), while he walked steadily on his own. Liu Xiangxiang went into the house to help Tang Erhu clean up, as he was covered in sweat and smelled bad.
Tang Xu poured a bowl of hot water for Wei Dong to freshen up and, accompanied by Tang Li, cleared the table and washed the dishes.
"Let's go back home."
It was naptime after lunch, and Wei Dong leaned on Tang Xu's shoulder, occasionally swaying. Tang Xu looked at him, "Feeling dizzy?"
"Yeah, kind of," Wei Dong replied lazily with half-open eyes. Tang Yang ran ahead, then stopped far away, before running back.
Tang Li walked beside Tang Xu, seeing him running back and forth, feeling a bit envious of his boundless energy. However, the thought of spending the afternoon at Brother's house, having dinner there, and then coming back made her excited too. She wanted to run but didn't dare.
"Hey! Xu Ge'er, where are you guys going?"
"Back home, taking Ah Li and Yang'er over to my place to play."
"Is your brother-in-law drunk?"
"Yeah, he had a few drinks with my dad."
"How about your dad? Is he too drunk?"
"Yeah, my mom is taking care of him; he'll sleep it off, and they'll work in the fields together tomorrow."
Tang Xu smiled warmly at the uncle he was talking to, then turned to Wei Dong as the others walked past. "Let's hurry, let's hurry, I've been held up."
Wei Dong chuckled lightly and tightened his grip on Tang Xu's shoulder. "Let's go back and sleep together."
Tang Xu gave him a sideways glance, feeling that his words were insincere.
At the Wei family's house, Wei Xi still had dumplings for lunch. He couldn't get enough of them, even when Tang Xu invited him along earlier, Wei Xi said he couldn't walk that far and might get sick on the way, so he didn't want to cause trouble. Tang Xu then left him some dumplings to steam for lunch.
After finishing lunch and taking a short nap, Wei Xi went to the front and back yards to pull out weeds in the vegetable garden. The weeds weren't wasted; he threw them directly into the chicken coop for the chickens to eat.
He watched over a dozen half-grown roosters and hens, smiling happily. In a while, when the hens grew up, he could collect eggs every day to supplement Tang Xu's diet!
Watching them peck at the grass and leaves, Wei Xi swung his legs and said, "I'll give you some grains later, and I found some bugs in the soil, I'll give you those too. Eat more and grow up quickly."
He chattered on for a while, then heard someone calling, "Xiao Xi!!!" Wei Xi paused, then quickly walked to the front yard.
"I'm here!"
Tang Xu heard his response, closed the gate, and latched it securely. "Wei Dong, go back to the room and sleep. I..."
"Don't call me that!"
Wei Dong's serious face interrupted him, startling Tang Xu. "Huh?"
"Call me husband!"
Tang Xu: "...Can't you see the look on that kid's face next to you? You must have skin as thick as a stone slab!"
Wei Dong squinted, using one hand to pinch Tang Xu's face and puff up his mouth, saying fiercely, "Call me!"
Tang Xu thought to himself, why should I call you anything when you're pinching my mouth!
Wei Xi was frightened, thinking they were having a quarrel. He came over to pull his brother away, but Tang Li stopped him and grabbed Tang Yang as well, "Don't go, don't go, don't go."
The three "don't go"s were firm and resolute.
Wei Xi didn't understand and looked at her, "Why? Is my brother bullying my brother Xu? Why don't you two go help!"
Tang Yang felt scared but wanted to help. However, he didn't dare. "I, I, I, I can't fight." Tang Xu heard his brother's stuttering and gestured behind him with his hand.
Tang Li understood and took one brother in each hand. "Let's go, let's go first." She turned to Wei Xi, "Can we go to your room?"
Wei Xi nodded, though it was okay to go, was it really okay to just leave like this?
Tang Li glanced at Tang Xu vigorously gesturing, and resolutely dragged both younger brothers away.
Tang Xu, with his face pinched, could only make muffled sounds, feeling pain from Wei Dong's tight grip.
Wei Dong stared at him, leaned closer, and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Call me husband and I'll let you go."
Tang Xu angrily raised his hand and punched his chest, "Stop it, you jerk!" Let go of me!
Wei Dong released his grip. "Hmm?"
"It hurts!" Tang Xu rubbed his face and glared at him. "What's gotten into you!"
Wei Dong grabbed him around the waist with both hands and lifted him up.
"Ah!" Tang Xu was suddenly hoisted up onto Wei Dong's shoulders. "Put me down!"
Wei Dong smacked his buttocks and carried him through the courtyard straight back to the main house.
Once the door closed: Three heads were peeking out from the door of the east wing room. They fell silent after witnessing Wei Dong's series of actions.
Wei Xi licked his lips, straightened up, and looked at the siblings. "Are you two planning to have dinner here?" After all, his house didn't seem to have anything attractive, except for his brother-in-law's cooking skills.
Tang Li's thoughts were exposed, and her face reddened slightly.
Tang Yang, being straightforward, nodded. "Sis and I want to finish dinner here before going back. What's your name? Can we play with you?"
Wei Xi was quite pleased; he hadn't made friends before.
"I'm Wei Xi, nine years old this year. What are your names? My health isn't good, so I can't run if we play, but I can take you guys to the backyard to play."
Tang Li and Tang Yang introduced themselves with their ages and names, then the three children went to the backyard.
As for Tang Xu, who was carried back to the house by Wei Dong, he was pressed onto the heated brick bed and kissed fiercely for quite a while, almost being given a 'daytime dry up.'
Tang Xu exerted a great effort to struggle to his feet, pushing the person away and even giving him a kick.
Wei Dong lay on the heated brick bed, panting heavily. Tang Xu quickly went to scoop a basin of cold water, wiping and wiping!
Asking for trouble when given wine! Let me cool you down!
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