The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 46

 

| TBBOTOF | 46

Liu San, whose real name is Liu Meng, is the third son in his family, and people in the village often refer to him as "Old San" or simply "Liu San." Not many call him by his given name.

At the age of twenty-eight, Liu San had been married before. In his younger years, his family was impoverished. When his wife went to the town to sell eggs to supplement their income, she caught the eye of a manager from an out-of-town trading caravan. They flirted for a while, and after the caravan left, the woman followed them.

At the time, Liu San was barely in his twenties. People in the village made jokes about him for a long time, saying he couldn't even keep a wife in check. At first, he felt embarrassed, but later he didn't care much. After all, their family's conditions gradually improved, and he managed to save some money. Plus, they didn't have any children, so it wasn't too difficult for him to find another wife.

It took him some time to choose a second wife. Eventually, he chose Liu Qiaoniang from their village. Liu Qiaoniang was twenty-seven years old and widowed, with no children.

It wasn't that she couldn't bear children; it was because her late husband had suffered an injury that rendered him unable to have children. She was capable and managed both household and external affairs well, which pleased her in-laws.

However, her husband died unexpectedly early last year. Her parents-in-law insisted she return to her own family, arguing that she hadn't borne any children for their family, so there was no reason for her to stay and serve them. Eventually, her parents-in-law agreed and wrote a divorce certificate for her, allowing her to return home.

She had been living at home for over a year now, and while her parents didn't say much, her sisters-in-law were not happy. It just so happened that Liu San's mother arranged for a matchmaker to introduce a suitable candidate, and that's how Liu Qiaoniang came into the picture.

When they met, Liu San was tall and sturdy with a simple and honest appearance, while Liu Qiaoniang, though not young in age, looked quite youthful, attractive, and had a good figure. They were attracted to each other at first sight.

Without any children, the matter was settled.

When marrying a second wife, it's not like welcoming a new bride into the family. Liu San's family didn't make a big fuss about it, they only invited a few familiar households for a meal, and then they started their life together.

The whole process took only about half a month, which was about ten days earlier than Tang Xu's marriage. Liu's family had planned to split the family property a few years ago, but the old mother of the family insisted on waiting until the third son was settled before dividing it.

Now that he's married, and the new wife seems diligent and capable, and she's also very considerate to her husband, the old mother of the Liu family was reassured. So they decided to split the family property.

For the first time in many years, Liu Qiaoniang was in charge of the household. She was energetic and eager to do everything. After discussing with Liu San, she said she wanted to raise two pigs. By raising them until the next year, they could sell them to the butcher and get some money. They could sell one pig at a time, and with the money, they would have meat to eat at home.

Liu San was worried that she would be tired, and said they should just raise one pig.

Liu Qiaoniang felt sweet in her heart because of her husband's concern. She agreed verbally to just look around, thinking that if there were good piglets available, she would catch two. With money in her pocket, she left the house.

There were many households in the village raising pigs, and three of them were currently selling piglets. She went to the first two households in the neighboring village, but she wasn't satisfied with what she saw.

The mother pigs were skinny, and the piglets didn't seem to suckle well. They looked thin and malnourished from a young age, which was not appealing.

Then she heard that Auntie Zhang from the back of the village also raised an old mother pig, and they fed their pigs well. The piglets should be in good condition, so she decided to go and take a look. If she couldn't find any good ones, she would have to choose from the skinny ones.

Liu Qiaoniang heard this and felt it was reasonable. She went back and told Liu San about it, then the next day, after finishing up the chores at home, she went to the back village. Along the way, she inquired about Auntie Zhang's house and explained her purpose upon arrival. Auntie Zhang was very enthusiastic and took her to the pigsty.

The pigsty was very clean, with piglets suckling on the mother pig's belly, all chubby and well-fed.

Auntie Zhang's face beamed with delight as she boasted, "This mother pig of ours is having her first litter, she only gave birth to six, but her milk production is abundant. Look at how plump they are from nursing. When she has another litter, they might not be as well-fed."

Liu Qiaoniang nodded as she looked at the piglets. They were indeed good.

"Can they be weaned?" she asked.

"Yes, they can," Auntie Zhang replied eagerly. "With the amount of milk our mother pig produces, they can eat for a few more days." She entered the pigsty, grabbed one of the piglets that was sleeping nearby without any reaction, and showed it to Liu Qiaoniang up close. "How about it? Fat enough?"

Liu Qiaoniang looked at the round belly and the short snout of the piglet. This litter of piglets was indeed well-matched. Their snouts were short, they were eager eaters, after eating, they would run around a bit before sleeping, and their legs were short and sturdy.

Good pigs.

"How much are they?" Liu Qiaoniang asked.

Auntie Zhang put down the piglet in her arms and smiled, "Our piglets are of good quality, they eat and sleep well, and they grow fat quickly. If you buy them and raise them at home, they will definitely thrive."

Liu Qiaoniang's heart skipped a beat. Auntie Zhang was right, her piglets were indeed excellent. However...

She knew deep down that piglets from Auntie Zhang's house would definitely be more expensive than those from other households.

"Auntie Zhang, could you state a price?" Liu Qiaoniang had brought five hundred copper coins with her. When she was still in Liu's village, she bought a piglet for two hundred and seventy wen. Given the current price, five hundred wen could buy two piglets.

Considering that Auntie Zhang's piglets were of better quality, she estimated they could be sold for three hundred wen each. But to her surprise, when she offered the money, Auntie Zhang raised four fingers and waved them towards her.

"Four hundred copper coins?" Liu Qiaoniang was astonished. "That's too expensive."

Liu Qiaoniang was hesitant. Bringing back these pigs might not guarantee they would grow to three hundred catties. Pigs weighing just over two hundred catties could only fetch two taels of silver, which was not profitable.

Her reluctance must have shown on her face, and Auntie Zhang, being experienced in selling piglets, could sense her hesitation. She said, "Why don't you go back and discuss it with your husband? If he agrees, you can come back. We live in the same village, it's not far. But I must make it clear, I don't negotiate the price. Four hundred copper coins."

Liu Qiaoniang agreed but had already dismissed the idea of buying piglets from Auntie Zhang's house. It was too expensive. If she bought two piglets, it would cost eight hundred wen, almost one or two taels of silver! 

"I'll go back and discuss it with the head of the household," she smiled as she spoke, heading out. "If he agrees, I'll come back."

Auntie Zhang agreed and then became curious, asking, "Is your husband Liu San? His mother recently approached Wei San's wife for a marriage proposal. You don't seem too old; why would you want to marry a widower?"

Liu Qiaoniang forced a smile as she walked away. "I'm also twenty-seven, Aunt Zhang, you really have a way with words."

"You're twenty-seven? You still look quite young. Have you had children? Let me tell you, being a second wife is not easy. If you have your own children to bring along..."

"Aunt Zhang! My brother-in-law and I are here to buy piglets!" Wei Xi's voice crisply interrupted from outside the courtyard. 

Tang Xu gently patted him on the back. "Don't shout, you might catch a cold." 

Wei Xi grinned, "Brother-in-law, hurry inside. It seems like someone else wants to buy piglets too."

"Just buy them if you want. We'll go to another house once this one's sold out," Tang Xu followed him into the courtyard. Coming towards them were two people, a middle-aged woman and... hmm? 

He squinted slightly, looking at the woman who seemed stunned and rooted to the spot. She also appeared to be in her twenties, quite pretty, but her eyes seemed too obvious, as if she had experienced a big shock, yet also carried some excitement.

What's going on? Do I know her?

Tang Xu searched his memory but didn't recognize her.

"Hello, Auntie," Wei Xi greeted Aunt Zhang politely, "I heard from Uncle Wu that the piglets from your sow are very good, so I brought my brother-in-law to take a look. We'd like to buy two."

Standing about a meter behind Wei Xi, Tang Xu sighed inwardly with resignation. This silly kid looks like he's here to buy your piglets willingly, offering them up for slaughter on a silver platter.

He smiled and greeted Aunt Zhang, "Hello, Auntie. I'm Wei Dong's husband. You can call me Xu Ge'er." Aunt Zhang swallowed hard, finally coming back to her senses.

She had given birth to five children, the youngest being a ger, and although her own ger was well-raised, he didn't compare to Tang Xu in her eyes. She couldn't help but think that this brother-in-law was exceptionally handsome, with a charm and spirit that surpassed those of other young gers. 

Just one look from him could captivate anyone. No wonder Wei Dong was in such a hurry to marry him. Any man would be tempted upon seeing him.

She approached with a smile and praised, "No wonder Wei Dong was in such a hurry to marry. He wanted to marry such a beauty! If I were him, I'd be in a rush too. Xu Ge'er, even your name is good. Auntie finds you quite charming."

Tang Xu thought to himself, she's indeed a savvy businesswoman, speaking so flatteringly. But unfortunately, no matter how flattering, it won't work on me when it comes to bargaining.

"I can see that Auntie is also very kind and helpful. Xiao Xi told me that you often help out at home. When I heard that Auntie raises pigs so well, I immediately brought him over. I wouldn't dare take him out without your familiarity. If my husband found out, he'd be angry."

Wei Xi shuddered at the tone his brother-in-law used to speak, wondering why his voice had changed.

Tang Xu gave him a gentle smile and lightly patted his shoulder.

Don't speak, just listen.

It was just mutual flattery! He could be even more sweet and gentle!

That coquettish tone made Aunt Zhang feel numb, and when she was met with those peach blossom eyes, she couldn't help but feel delighted. A handsome and sweet-talking young ger was not only appealing to men but also to older women like her.

"Auntie, you know our situation. If it weren't for wanting to improve Xiao Xi's health, I wouldn't be able to afford to raise two pigs," Tang Xu took a few steps forward, getting closer. "Auntie, could you show us the piglets? If Xiao Xi likes one, we'll take one home and raise it. If it grows well, we'll come back to buy from you next time."

Aunt Zhang quickly nodded, her eyes squinting with a smile. "Let's go, Auntie will take you to the pigsty. You can pick whichever one you like."

As she turned around, she noticed Liu Qiaoniang standing there, realizing there was another person present. However, she didn't say much, as Liu Qiaoniang didn't seem like she was interested in buying.

"Liu San's wife, you can go on your own. I won't send you," she called out, then turned back to Tang Xu and Wei Xi with a warm smile. "Xu Ge'er, you hold Xiao Xi's hand. The road over there is bumpy, be careful not to trip."

"Auntie, you're so considerate. I didn't even notice," Tang Xu took Wei Xi's hand and gently squeezed his small, slender fingers. 

He followed Aunt Zhang, exaggeratingly looking around as they walked. "Auntie, your courtyard is so clean. If I could be half as diligent as you, it would be great. Just starting out as the head of the household, I feel so busy and chaotic. But you, Auntie, have managed to keep your home so tidy and organized. Uncle is truly fortunate to have you."

Aunt Zhang had never been praised so much for keeping her courtyard clean, and it made her feel a bit embarrassed.

Well, these were just the usual tasks that rural women did. Even if someone was particularly diligent and hardworking, others would probably just praise them for being capable and leave it at that. They wouldn't say so much, because they would assume that's what she was supposed to do.

Not only that, but as they passed the house and arrived at the pigsty, Tang Xu continued, "Oh my! Auntie, you're amazing! These piglets are so fat, just look at their round bellies. You can tell they eat well just by looking at them!"

After he finished speaking, he didn't even care if Wei Xi was startled. He just pinched the child's hand and when Wei Xi looked up at him, his gaze directed towards the piglet, indicating clearly that this one, the biggest and fattest, was the one they wanted.

"Auntie, can you teach me how to raise pigs? When I was not married yet, the pigs at my home were always skinny, no matter what I did, I couldn't fatten them up. You're amazing, Auntie!"

Aunt Zhang was almost overwhelmed by his praise, even questioning herself, am I really that amazing?

"Not really, not that amazing," she replied modestly.

"Why not? Auntie, you keep the pigs so clean and tidy, and the smell isn't so strong. You can tell you're a clean and efficient person," Tang Xu finished with a smile, then squeezed Wei Xi's hand again and gave him a meaningful look.

Wei Xi understood the signal, though only partially, but he knew he needed to support his brother-in-law at this moment. He said, "Brother-in-law is right. Auntie always washes the radishes she sells to our house with water. They're so clean, not a speck of mud on them."

Tang Xu nearly burst out laughing. He thought, well done, Xiao Xi. Your words would wipe the smile off her face.

Radishes washed with water don't last long. If you buy a small amount, it's fine, but if you buy a lot, that's where you're really getting ripped off.

Judging by Aunt Zhang's expression, she probably sells a lot of them, thinking that if the radishes go bad, Wei Dong will come back to buy more from her.

Tang Xu didn't think his husband would ever come back to her door to buy vegetables.

But thinking was one thing, and nodding along was another. "That explains it. Auntie, you really pay attention to the details," he said in agreement.

Aunt Zhang's mood fluctuated, but seeing the friendly smiles on the faces of these two, she regained her enthusiasm. "Brother Xu, you speak so well. These pigs just need a few more meals to get fat. With good food and sleep, they'll naturally gain weight. Keep the pigsty clean and tidy, and make sure they don't get sick."

Tang Xu listened attentively, nodding repeatedly and making a face as if to say, Wow, I didn't know that.

 He didn't say a word, but just his expression alone made Aunt Zhang feel elated. "Whichever one you like, just take it. I'll give you a discount!"

After she finished speaking, she herself was stunned for a moment. Why did she blurt out those words? The other party hadn't even asked about the price yet. 

Wei Xi immediately reached out his hand, pointing to the one that Tang Xu had just indicated for him to ask about, "Auntie, I like that one!" 

Aunt Zhang followed the direction of his finger and looked over. That piglet was lying there sleeping, while the others had already woken up and started to root for milk.

Tang Xu glanced over, furrowing his brows slightly. He hesitated a bit and said, "Xiao Xi, how about we look at others? That pig doesn't seem to be in very good condition."

Wei Xi looked reluctant. What did he mean? Wasn't it the elder brother who asked him to choose that one? Did he misunderstand? He shifted his finger and pointed to the one currently nursing, "How about this one?"

"Oh, its tail is too straight."

"What about this one?"

"Its mouth is a bit too long."

"This one?"

"It looks alright, just slightly thinner compared to the others. It probably eats slower and might not gain weight easily when brought back."

"What about that one?"

"Does it have a patch of missing fur on its butt? Why does it look bald there?"

"This one, this one will do!"

"Short mouth, curled tail, short and stout legs, it eats fine, but... Oh? It's a male. We'll have to find someone to castrate it, and our family is not wealthy enough to spend extra money."

Wei Xi: "..." The six piglets were scrutinized one by one by his elder brother, but none caught his eye.

Their conversation was not loud, appearing like casual discussion, but Aunt Zhang beside them grew increasingly stiff with a forced smile on her face. Finally, hearing Tang Xu's reluctance even to spend money on castrating the pig, she felt an indescribable discomfort.

"Brother Xu..." Wei Xi was uncertain how to continue.

Tang Xu signaled him with his eyes, indicating the first one, the sleeping one.

Wei Xi blinked and tugged at Tang Xu's sleeve, "Elder brother, I really want that one. It's really nice looking." 

Tang Xu sighed, looking like he had no choice but to give in to him.

He walked over and grabbed a bamboo pole standing nearby, then poked the sleeping piglet with it, but there was no response at all.

"...Is there something wrong with this one?" He glanced sideways at Aunt Zhang, who was staring at him. With a slightly embarrassed smile, he said, "Maybe this one is sick? Why isn't it moving?"

"It's not sick, it's perfectly fine! It's just asleep. When it wakes up, it eats a lot. Look at how fat it is." Aunt Zhang hurried over to his side and poked the piglet with the bamboo pole, still getting no response.

She felt anxious and simply opened the wooden door and went in, lifting the sleeping piglet up and patting it hard. Unfortunately, the piglet had eaten too much and had already sunk into a deep snoring sleep, completely unaware that its owner was in distress.

Under the increasingly skeptical gazes, even Aunt Zhang began to wonder.

It seemed like earlier she had picked up this piglet to show it to Liu Qiaoniang. It was sleeping then, and it's still sleeping now. Could there really be a problem?

 With uncertainty in her heart, she wanted to go find someone to ask, "You two wait here for a moment. Let me go call Uncle Wu over to have a look." 

Since their houses were close, she just stretched her neck out into the courtyard and shouted. When she got a response, she explained the situation. 

Uncle Wu came over and was surprised to see Tang Xu and Wei Xi. He had the fortune of attending a wedding feast at Wei's mansion before and had seen Tang Xu there. 

That day the lighting was poor, and Uncle Wu's eyesight wasn't great due to his old age, but he vaguely recognized Tang Xu's appearance and knew he was a handsome young man. Today, upon seeing him again, Uncle Wu was genuinely stunned for a moment. How could someone be so beautiful!

 In all his years, he had never come across such a stunning person! Although "fox spirit" wasn't a good term, this person was just too good-looking.

When did their remote village produce such a person without anyone mentioning it? Could it be that they were a reclusive family? 

Old Uncle Wu pondered for a moment before he approached Tang Xu.

Tang Xu had heard from Wei Xi that Uncle Wu and his son were the ones who did all the work in their courtyard. He smiled sincerely at the old man. Uncle Wu's hand trembled a bit; he couldn't resist it, Tang Xu's smile was too captivating.

"Why call this old man over?" He nodded towards Tang Xu and turned to ask Aunt Zhang.

Aunt Zhang hurriedly took Uncle Wu to see the piglet that couldn't be woken up, patting the chubby body, "Old man, come and have a look at what's wrong with this piglet. It's not moving at all."

Uncle Wu went over to take a look and wondered, "How would I know? It looks fat enough; maybe it's just asleep."

"It’s not, the piglets I've raised before would wake up when you pat them. This one just won't wake up." Aunt Zhang felt puzzled too, mainly because it was the first time she encountered one that wouldn't wake up.

Tang Xu thought to himself that it would be good if it couldn't be woken up; it suited his preferences.

Uncle Wu glanced at the piglet sleeping beside it, reached out, and pushed each one. They responded with grunts. But when he tried to push the one in question, it didn't respond at all. No matter how much he poked or patted, it remained still, like it was dead.

"Is there really something wrong with it? How's its eating?"

Tang Xu said, "It ate well just now, but after eating, it lay down and didn't move. Could it be milk intoxication?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

"???" Brother, do you even know what you just said? Milk intoxication? There's alcohol intoxication, but milk intoxication? 

Tang Xu suppressed his embarrassment and waved his hand, "I was just talking nonsense."

He really blurted out something ridiculous.

Aunt Zhang's eyes lit up and she suggested, "Xu Ge'er, since both you and Xiao Xi seem to like it, why don't you take it back and try feeding it?"

Uncle Wu frowned nearby, disapprovingly saying, "We don't even know if it can survive. How would you feed it if you took it back? If it sleeps all day and doesn't get up to eat, what will you do? It won't gain weight if it doesn't eat."

He pointed to the only male piglet, "That one is good. No need to find someone to castrate it; just let Dongzi do it." 

Tang Xu chuckled, quickly covering his mouth to suppress the laughter that almost burst out of him.

Could a man actually castrate piglets?

He never expected that. He thought they would just raise them!

No, no, no, don't think about it!

Move on, move on, can't think about it!

Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhang quickly interjected, "That one is expensive, but this one is cheaper!"

Wei Xi was about to speak, but Tang Xu pressed his shoulder and smiled gently at Aunt Zhang, "I know Auntie is trying to save us some money, but this pig..." He sighed, "Well, let's just buy that one then."

Aunt Zhang was thinking of a different scenario.

Back then, she washed the dirt off the radishes to sell them to Wei Dong in hopes of selling more radishes. However, Wei Dong only bought once and never came to her house again, nor did he buy radishes or cause her any trouble. If it were someone else in the village, they would definitely have come knocking on her door for those few coins.

So, even if this pig could be sold to someone else when it was eating well, if it really couldn't wake up, wouldn't they come looking for her?

Selling it to the Wei family, although they might not come back to buy piglets from her next time, she wouldn't be at too much of a loss. She could always sell this piglet somehow, at least without worrying about being chased down.

But this needed to be made clear.

"Xu Ge'er, if you buy this piglet, I'll give it to you for 200 wen. You'll definitely raise it well when you take it back." 

Tang Xu's expression showed some interest, but he glanced at the piglet beside it, "And what about this one?"

"400 wen. Auntie won't cheat you. I told the young lady who just left that it's 400 wen, and I won't haggle." Aunt Zhang looked at him hesitating and gritted her teeth, "Or how about this? Auntie will knock off another twenty wen for you. You take it back, and it'll also help Auntie out."

Uncle Wu frowned nearby, glaring at her, "What's wrong with you, woman? You're still trying to sell a sick piglet!"

"There's nothing wrong with it. If it had a problem, could it grow so fat? Old man, don't talk nonsense." Aunt Zhang turned hostile.

Tang Xu had initially felt a bit guilty about his own ulterior motives, but seeing Aunt Zhang like this, all his guilt vanished.

"One hundred and eighty wen?" he asked.

Aunt Zhang felt a pang of heartache but nodded reluctantly, "Yes, one hundred and eighty wen. But let me make it clear to you, if you take this piglet back, you'll be responsible for raising it. If you can't raise it well, Auntie won't take responsibility."

"Deal!" Tang Xu also gritted his teeth, "I trust Auntie. You wouldn't cheat us out of our money." 

Wei Xi was about to speak but was patted on the shoulder by Tang Xu again.

"Xiao Xi, count the money, we're taking this one!" Wei Xi nodded and pouted as he counted the coins.

One hundred and eighty wen. The one paying wasn't happy, the one selling wasn't happy, and even the onlookers weren't happy. Only Tang Xu was overjoyed.

Oh, what a good pig! He would definitely feed it well when he got home, make it fat and strong. He would find it a handsome husband in the future, definitely not slaughter it for meat. What a hero it is, saving over two hundred wen!

The piglet was truly capable of sleeping; it even slept soundly in the back basket, weighing at least twenty catties.

Exiting Aunt Zhang's courtyard, Tang Xu thanked Uncle Wu and, seeing the worried expression on the old man's face as he looked at the piglet, reassured him, "Uncle Wu, don't worry. I'll definitely raise this piglet well. I'll feed it eight times a day."

Uncle Wu's expression twitched, and he advised, "You don't need to feed it so many times; overfeeding isn't good."

"It's okay. I'm afraid it won't eat enough, so I'll feed it more times. We have so many vegetables growing in our fields." Tang Xu caught sight of someone standing nearby and turned to look, realizing it was the woman from earlier.

Liu Qiaoniang glared at Tang Xu with red eyes. Her expression was like someone owed her money and when she went to collect it, she was ruthlessly kicked out, feeling completely aggrieved.

Tang Xu smiled distantly at her and quickly pulled Wei Xi along to leave.

Hurry, hurry, let's get out of here. He doesn’t know what's going on with her, but let's not get involved.

Liu Qiaoniang stood there watching them leave, biting her lip for a while before hurrying back home.

Tang Xu and Wei Xi returned home to find the gate already open, indicating that Wei Dong had returned. They hurried inside.

Wei Xi had been holding his questions all the way, but once inside the courtyard, he couldn't hold back anymore. "Brother, why did you buy that piglet? Isn't it sick?"

Tang Xu looked disapproving. "How can you call it sick when it can eat and sleep? It just sleeps deeply. When it's hungry, it'll naturally wake up. Let's put it in the pigpen first. After I finish cooking lunch, I'll prepare a delicious meal for it. It should wake up when it smells the food."

Wei Xi exclaimed, "Really? But you didn't say that just now."

"If I didn't say that, could we have bought it for one hundred and eighty wen? Although the piglet Aunt Zhang was selling cost four hundred wen, it's not much more expensive. But it's worth it to raise it well."

Tang Xu carried the basket to the backyard. The pigpen was newly built and hadn't been used yet. Inside, there were large stone slabs laid out, with a stone slab at the edge that could be pushed aside. 

Underneath, there was a deep pit dug into the ground, used for storing pig excrement and urine. Not only was the pigpen designed this way, but the chicken coop on the other side was also similar. 

The excrement and urine could be washed away directly with water, and there was a large pit below, covered with a board to seal off the smell. The pit was used for fermenting manure, saving a lot of trouble.

"Brother, should we lay some dry straw on the ground for it?" Wei Xi tiptoed and looked inside the fence. Seeing the chubby piglet lying on the ground and still sound asleep, he was worried that it might catch a cold.

After all, the stone slabs were much colder than the ground.

"What do we need straw for?" Wei Dong came over from the other side, his hair wet and disheveled. Seeing the sleeping piglet in the pen, he asked, "Where did you two buy this piglet? It's quite fat."

"From Aunt Zhang's place," Wei Xi replied, looking up at his brother, his eyes shining with excitement. "Brother Xu is amazing. We bought this piglet for one hundred and eighty wen!"

Wei Dong raised an eyebrow. "That's quite cheap. Does the piglet have any problems?"

"If there's any problem, it's probably just that it sleeps too soundly. It doesn't react even when we pat it," Tang Xu said with a smile. "Let's bring in some dry straw and lay it inside, thick enough. After all, it's just been separated from its mother, and we don't want it to feel uncomfortable."

Wei Dong nodded. "There's some in the woodshed. I'll bring over a bundle later. You two go wash up and change clothes."

Tang Xu nodded and walked out of the pen, heading back home. Suddenly remembering what Uncle Wu had said earlier, he glanced at Wei Dong beside him and asked, "Do you know how to castrate pigs?"

"What?" Wei Dong didn't catch that.

Tang Xu shot him a quick glance and gestured with his eyebrows. "Uncle Wu said you know how to castrate pigs." 

Wei Dong initially didn't understand what castrating pigs had to do with him, but then he got it.

It must be said, his husband's cheekiness was really something else. Was it appropriate to bring up such matters in broad daylight?

"You'll find out whether I know or not tonight," Wei Dong retorted casually.

Tang Xu instantly bristled.

What?

What did you just say? Do you want me to bite you?

Wei Dong couldn't help but laugh at his vivid expression, bending down to plant a kiss on his forehead. Tang Xu glared at him.

Hmph!

For lunch, they had hand-pulled noodles as requested by the brothers. Wei Dong kneaded the dough while Tang Xu rolled it out. They cooked the noodles in a broth with stir-fried minced meat in soybean paste, along with shredded cucumber.

"It's getting hot, so eating some cold noodles will be refreshing," Wei Dong remarked.

Tang Xu was drenched in sweat and didn't have much of an appetite during the meal.

Wei Dong, also sweating profusely, happily devoured the noodles.

"What should we have for dinner?" He was already thinking about dinner before finishing lunch.

There was no help for it. His husband's cooking was just too good, and they never seemed to have enough.

Wei Xi, unaffected by the heat due to his constitution, slurped up the noodles happily. Hearing his brother's question, he looked up at Tang Xu, also curious about dinner.

"The chives in the yard have grown, so let's cut some for chive boxes," Tang Xu replied, having had his eye on that patch of green shoots for a while. Although they were planted late, they grew quickly.

"It seems like we don't have many eggs left. Where should we buy some?" They didn't have many eggs left, as their dozen or so hens hadn't started laying yet.

Wei Dong suggested, "Let's go to Auntie's place. She has a lot of chickens. If you want chicken meat, you can buy from her too."

"Uh... you go," Tang Xu quickly backed out at the thought of dealing with Wu Weiming.

After all, he couldn't handle the adolescent, love-struck Wei Weiming.

Wei Dong chuckled as he added more noodles to his bowl, saying, "Ah Wei isn't here. I heard he ran away from home."

"What?" Tang Xu paused, surprised. "He's already gone?"

"Yeah," Wei Dong confirmed, observing Tang Xu's reaction. "You seem quite surprised."

Tang Xu nodded and shook his head. He had pushed the kid to that point; it was only natural for him to seek his own path. Then he asked, "If I go over there, your Aunt won't say anything, right?"

"What would she say? Auntie is very understanding. She said as long as Ah Wei doesn't end up dead outside, it's fine. Once the kids grow up, they no longer listen to their mothers. Besides, her daughter-in-law is pregnant, so she's happy about that," Wei Dong explained. 

Seeing Tang Xu still looking a bit conflicted, he added, "If you don't want to go, I'll go."

After thinking for a moment, Tang Xu nodded. "You go. I'll go to the mountains later to cut pigweed and come back for vegetarian pig feed. Oh, could you also get some brine from the tofu seller? We can make tofu pudding from freshly ground soybeans."

"You can make tofu pudding too? Don't you know how to make tofu?" Wei Dong couldn't help but wonder if there was anything Tang Xu couldn't do. 

Tang Xu nodded. "With the right tools, I can do anything. To make tofu, you need to make a trough and have cheesecloth."

"Alright, I'll go buy it later." Wei Dong was practical about solving problems with money. If they lacked tools, they could buy them. The tofu sellers would surely have spare ones they could purchase.

"I'll soak the soybeans then. You'll have to help me grind them with the stone mill because I can't push it myself," Tang Xu admitted accurately assessing his own capabilities. He was more of the delicate type, after all.

Wei Dong nodded and refilled his bowl with noodles.

After resting for a while after lunch, Tang Xu carried the basket on his back and headed up the mountain. He didn't go too far, just cutting pigweed nearby. Once they ground the beans, both humans and pigs could eat them, providing nutrition for both.

When Tang Xu returned, he found that Wei Dong had already cleaned the stone mill. He watched as Wei Dong effortlessly lifted the heavy stone and moved it aside, revealing his muscular arms bulging with strength.

"You're not afraid of straining your back," Tang Xu commented as he walked over and pinched Wei Dong's arm, feeling its firmness. 

Wei Dong just gave him a playful glance, not saying anything but clearly conveying the message, What nonsense are you talking about? Do you think I'm going to throw out my back?

 Tang Xu rolled his eyes at him. Well, having strength was indeed impressive.

"Is there an oil mill in the village? Can we ask if they sell soybean pulp and soybean cakes?" Tang Xu decided to change the subject to avoid his partner showing off his strength further.

Wei Dong put the large stone back and asked, "What do you need those for?"

"To feed the pigs and use as fertilizer after fermentation." The yard was spacious, and with so many vegetables planted, they needed fertilizer to ensure the soil remained fertile and the late-planted vegetables could grow well.

Wei Dong had never heard of using soybean cakes as fertilizer before.

“Pigs get fat from eating it, fields get fertile from it, and it's good for people too. Soybeans are a good thing. Next time, let's plant more," Tang Xu said confidently. Wei Dong nodded in agreement, acknowledging Tang Xu's wisdom.

As they talked, they continued grinding the beans, their bodies covered in pink bubbles. 

Meanwhile, Wei Xi was feeding the piglets with green fruit he had picked from the mountain. When one piglet woke up and couldn't find its mother or siblings, it grunted and squealed for a while. 

Wei Xi, finding the fruit too sour for his taste, threw it into the pen. Unexpectedly, the piglet happily gnawed on it, much to his surprise.

"Brother! It's eating the fruit!" Wei Xi exclaimed.

"Don't feed it too much. We'll feed it pig feed later," Tang Xu shouted back.

The atmosphere in their household was harmonious, filled with laughter and conversation. 

However, back at Liu Qiaoniang's house, she remained restless. While preparing lunch, she accidentally cut her finger.

When Liu San returned and saw her distraught expression, he was taken aback.

During dinner, her distracted demeanor was unsettling. Liu San took a few bites and then asked, "What's wrong? Tell me, what happened?"

Liu Qiaoniang sighed, thought for a moment, and then told him about going to catch pigs in the morning. Then she asked him, "Do you know a person named Tang Xu in the village?"

A particularly delicate and beautiful face appeared in Liu San's mind, and he asked, "There are several guys named Tang Xu in the village, which one are you referring to?"

"He's very handsome, just married into the village, named, named..." 

"Wei Dong."

"Yes, that's right, he married Wei Dong. Do you know him?" Liu Qiaoniang's tone was excited, eager to hear something from Liu San.

 Liu San shook his head, "I don't know, he's just a young guy, and I don't plan on marrying guys, so what would I know."

Liu Qiaoniang: "......"

She asked for nothing!

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