The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 47

 

| TBBOTOF | 47

Tang Xu was completely unaware that he was being thought of. As he filtered bean dregs, Wei Dong went out and bought a lot of bean dreg cakes from the oil mill, packed them in sacks, and the faint fragrance of oil wafted out.

The family running the oil mill was surnamed Wu, an elderly woman with her three daughters-in-law doing the work. When Wei Dong came over, they initially thought he wanted oil pressing, but upon hearing that he wanted to buy bean dreg cakes, they immediately smiled with joy.

There were too many of these things, even if their own family members had initially enjoyed the fragrance and tasted them, they had had enough.

They had a special storage room for stacking bean dregs, with several large sacks piled up. Usually, they only used them to feed chickens and pigs, but although these things were good for livestock, they didn't dare to feed too much for fear of causing diarrhea.

Even if people in the village knew that bean dreg cakes could be used to feed livestock, no one would spend money to buy them. Even when they offered them for free, they were reluctant to give them away. 

Now, hearing that Wei Dong came specifically to buy bean dreg cakes, they only charged three cents for a large sack, fearing that others might find it expensive. 

Wei Dong didn't even bargain, he bought three large sacks at once. Tang Xu opened the sack to take a look at the bean dreg cakes inside, sniffed them, they were all fresh, without that oily smell.

"The quality seems pretty good, how much for a few copper coins?"

"Three copper coins. There's only one oil mill in the village, so there are quite a lot of bean dreg cakes accumulated." Wei Dong looked at him and asked, "Can these be fed directly?"

Tang Xu shook his head. When his family raised pigs before, they used to ferment the bean dregs directly with fermenting agents before feeding them. But here, there were no fermenting agents, and to be honest, he didn't know what was in fermenting agents. He could only figure it out by himself.

"Find a big jar, put the bean dreg cakes in first, add some bran and crushed straw, and try fermenting them first." After saying this, he looked at Wei Dong. "Is that okay?"

"Well... I guess so," Wei Dong replied uncertainly.

They looked at each other for a while and unanimously agreed that they wouldn't know if it worked until they tried. Anyway, they had everything they needed, and if it didn't work, it would only be a waste of time. 

The largest jar couldn't fit all three large sacks of bean dreg cakes, so one sack was left. Tang Xu suggested keeping it for a couple of days to cook and feed the pigs.

"We need a new stove in the backyard specifically for cooking pig feed," Tang Xu added.

Wei Dong nodded. "I'll go dig up some yellow clay later. It's easy to build a stove."

"Where do we buy a pot? Do we need to go to the blacksmith's shop in town to get an iron pot?" Tang Xu was actually not very clear about what livelihoods there were in Heshan Village; the village was too big, and he hadn't explored it all.

"No need, there's a blacksmith in the village." Wei Dong wiped off the sweat beads on Tang Xu's forehead with his finger. "Take a rest for a while."

 Tang Xu was sweating profusely and leaned against him, saying softly, "So hot, so hot, I want to eat ice cream."

"What do you want to eat?" Wei Dong didn't understand.

Tang Xu sighed, shook his head, "I said I want ice, ah? I remembered!" He stood up straight and looked at Wei Dong. "You always go to the pharmacy to buy medicine for Xiao Xi. Do they also sell saltpeter?"

"I'm not sure. The medicine packs for Xiao Xi are pre-prepared; I haven't heard of saltpeter. Do you want some?" Wei Dong pulled him away. "I'll cook the pig feed, you rest for a while."

Tang Xu was slightly excited, "Saltpeter can make ice! If we get more, we can sell ice in the summer!"

"There are specialty ice sellers in town, they are not expensive," Wei Dong said, dispelling Tang Xu's thoughts of getting rich. 

Tang Xu sighed, realizing that making money was actually quite difficult.

He wasn't confident in Wei Dong's cooking of the pig feed. Although it sounded simple, there was some skill involved, especially if Wei Dong's skills weren't up to par and the pigs ended up not eating it.

He felt he should leave his man some face.

"I'll go cook, you go buy some brine salt for me," Tang Xu pushed him, then thought for a moment and continued, "I'll make a wooden box myself once I find suitable boards. We'll buy some gauze from the tailor's shop and also get some coarse salt. I'll bring it back and refine some brine salt myself."

Wei Dong calculated the days and said, "I'll go to town to ask the well diggers if they can dig the cellar you mentioned. I'll take Wei Xi to see the old doctor and get his pulse checked. Do you need anything else?"

"Nothing for now. I'll think of something when we get to town," Tang Xu said as he chopped the pig feed with a scythe. He then looked up at Wei Dong. "I've actually been wondering."

Wei Dong looked at him.

Tang Xu pointed to the various tools lying in the corner and asked him, "What's the rationale behind buying all these useful and useless things?"

Wei Dong glanced at them, pondered for a moment, and replied, "Some of them were used by my father when he was farming." 

"And the rest?" 

"I saw them being made at the blacksmith's shop, and they were not expensive, so I bought them."

Tang Xu sighed, understanding now. It turned out his husband was a closet shopaholic. It was fortunate that there were limits on the quantity of agricultural tools that could be purchased, and registration was required for buying iron products; otherwise, he might have filled the yard with purchases.

However, as he thought about it, something didn't seem right.

He had only been here for a few days, and his activities were limited to the main house, the kitchen, and one of the rooms at the back. He hadn't entered the west wing or the other rooms. 

To be honest, he was a little afraid to think about what might be inside. Perhaps his suspicions were too obvious.

"I didn't buy that many farm tools," Wei Dong said.

Tang Xu nodded, feeling relieved.

Wait a minute.

What did he mean by not buying that many farm tools? Then what did he buy so many of?

Wei Dong blinked innocently.

He was just an ordinary knife enthusiast, collecting various sizes of knives, particularly those with sharp edges. Tang Xu didn't ask further, thinking he would eventually see them himself. Right now, he was busy feeding the pigs.

He gathered the chopped grass into a basin, then cut a few potatoes and half a cabbage, added freshly ground bean dregs, and threw them all into the pot of boiled water. After a moment's thought, he sprinkled some salt.

Wei Dong was about to leave, but when he saw Tang Xu's actions, he asked, "Can pigs eat salt?"

"Yes, they can. Eating a little salt is good for the pigs' health too," Tang Xu added a little less water to the pot, stirred with a spoon, and sniffed. There was no strange smell, just the mixture of grass, wood, and beans.

After simmering for a while with bubbles bubbling up, Tang Xu scooped out the pig feed into a basin. As he stirred to cool it down, he muttered, "Tomorrow, you should quickly set up a pot in the backyard. It's too troublesome to keep carrying it back and forth."

Wei Dong nodded, "Okay."

There were troughs in the pigsty, so they just poured the cooked food into them. The little piglet had been squealing incessantly, and even Wei Xi's attempt to calm it with green fruit had been ineffective.

As soon as the trough was filled with food, the piglet rushed over, sticking its entire nose into the food and gobbling it up eagerly. In no time, all the food poured into the trough disappeared into its belly, and its little belly visibly swelled.

Wei Xi stood by, dumbfounded, his mouth gaping in astonishment.

"It eats so much!"

"Yeah, it sure does," Tang Xu nodded in satisfaction at its appetite. "Xiao Xi, add some water to the trough later. I'll go cook," he turned around and noticed Wei Dong still standing there. Raising his hand, he instructed, "Hurry up and buy brine, we'll use it to make soy milk when you come back."

Wei Dong enjoyed being directed by him, liking the commanding look in his eyes.

For dinner, they had vegetarian dumplings with chives and eggs, served with tofu pudding. Tang Xu didn't even bother making the tofu pudding brine; he simply added some soy sauce and chili oil, and it tasted delicious.

"Xiao Xi do you like the sweetness?" 

Wei Xi nodded, happily spooning the pudding into his mouth, enjoying its smooth texture and the sweet soup. With each spoonful, the warmth and flavor filled him with delight.

Wei Dong had two large bowls in front of him, one savory and spicy, the other sweet. He alternated between the two, but seeing this, Tang Xu couldn't help but remind him, "Mixing them like that might upset your stomach."

"It's okay, I rarely get sick," Wei Dong replied without even lifting his head while continuing to eat.

Tang Xu waved it off, thinking, whatever, as long as you're happy.

As expected, the piglet woke up hungry and started squealing when it found only water in the trough. But after it ate its fill, it stopped making noise and settled down on the pile of dry grass, soon falling asleep.

Wei Xi enjoyed watching it and even asked Tang Xu if they could give it a name.

Tang Xu nodded. If they were raising a pig for meat, they wouldn't bother naming it, as it would feel awkward to name it and then slaughter it. But since this pig was being raised as a breeding pig, giving it a name seemed appropriate.

Then the two of them stood in front of the pigsty, looking at the peacefully sleeping piglet, and fell into a dilemma over what to name it.

What should they call it?

"Wei Xi!"

"You can't name a pig Wei Xi, but maybe just Xixi," Tang Xu said, but then realized it didn't sound right. 

He turned his head to find his husband standing two meters away, waving at him.

Wei Dong walked over and stood still, asking, "What's up?"

Tang Xu: … Okay, he’s just empty-headed

"Get some rest early, I'll take you to town tomorrow," Wei Dong said, looking at Tang Xu.

Tang Xu: What are you looking at me for?

Wei Dong's gaze was deep, but he didn't say anything. He turned and headed towards the well.

Beside the well were two large wooden barrels. Tang Xu had tried lifting them when they were filled with water before, but even with all his strength, he couldn't lift them. 

He watched in amazement as Wei Dong effortlessly picked up one barrel in each hand, his expression relaxed and natural. No wonder he could lift and put him down so easily...

No, stop thinking about it!

Tang Xu lightly slapped his flushed cheeks, suddenly realizing the meaning behind the look Wei Dong had given him earlier.

He felt so excited!

Sleeping, in Wei Dong's dictionary, seemed to be a verb, almost turning it into a perpetual motion verb. If Tang Xu hadn't cried and screamed, accusing him of planning to murder his husband, he might have ended up poking him until he vomited.

Ahem, that was a slip of the tongue. Let's revise that.

The next day, the siblings from the Tang family arrived early, each carrying a large backpack. Tang Yang was also holding a small bucket filled with many small fish and shrimp. Due to the high density, quite a few had turned belly-up.

Wei Xi woke up early and heard the knocking at the door, so he went to open it. He was surprised to see them arrive so early.

"We came to bring this," Tang Yang handed the bucket to Wei Xi, then turned to let him see the backpack he was carrying. "We're also going to pick some mushrooms in the mountains. Do you want to come?"

Wei Xi wanted to go, but remembering that his brother said they were going to the town today, he shook his head regretfully. "My brother said he's taking me to the town to see the doctor. You guys go ahead; I'll stay."

"Okay, we'll come find Big Brother later then," Tang Li grabbed Tang Yang's hand and said as they turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Wei Xi suddenly thought, if he went with his brother to the town, would his brother have to stay home alone to play with their sister and brother? "Let me ask, or maybe you two can come with us to the town."

The siblings widened their eyes in surprise. "Really?"

Tang Yang had never been to the town, and Tang Li had only been once, two years ago when their mother wanted to make new clothes for their older brother and went to buy fabric in the town, along with selling eggs. 

Tang Li had only tagged along because she insisted, and they didn't eat anything on the trip, causing her stomach to ache from hunger when they returned home.

Since then, Tang Li had realized that their mother was extremely biased. Except for their older brother, she didn't seem to care about anyone else.

Well, that wasn't entirely true; perhaps her younger brother and father still held some place in her heart, but she definitely came after their older brother.

Wei Xi nodded and waved them into the house.

He went to knock on the door of the main house, and after knocking for quite a while, the door finally opened. His brother had a stern face, and he looked at Wei Xi with a cold, piercing gaze. Wei Xi trembled slightly, feeling a bit afraid as he lifted his eyes to look at his brother.

"Um, sister Li and brother Yang are here," he swallowed hard, "I wanted to ask if you could take them with us to the town."

Only then did Wei Dong remember that the siblings were coming over today. Taking them to the town together was not impossible, but...

Thinking of his husband, who was weak and still sleeping, Wei Dong glanced at Wei Xi and said in a low voice, "We'll go tomorrow. Your brother-in-law is tired today and can't go."

Wei Xi: "...Huh?"

Wei Dong nodded, turned around, and closed the door with a clang. Wei Xi looked bewildered, wondering what that meant - they weren't going anymore?

Behind him, Tang Li and Tang Yang heard what Wei Dong said. Although they felt a bit disappointed about not being able to go to the town, they weren't particularly upset about it.

"Then come with us to pick mushrooms?" Tang Yang ran over, grabbing Wei Xi's hand to lead him outside. "Do you need to eat something before we go?" 

Wei Xi nodded and went to the kitchen, where he found two boxes of leek dumplings tightly sealed in large bowls.

He picked one up and was about to put it in his mouth when Tang Li stopped him. "You can't eat it cold. Let me heat it up for you." She remembered what her brother said about taking care of Wei Xi because of his poor health. 

Wei Xi nodded obediently and went to heat up breakfast over the fire.

"You eat so little," Tang Yang said, propping his chin on his hand as he sat on a small wooden stool, watching Wei Xi leisurely nibble on the leek dumplings. He sniffed and swallowed, "Did Big Brother make these? They smell so good."

Wei Xi looked at the other intact bowl in the pot, then at the eager Tang Yang. He pushed the bowl towards him. "You have it." He had to take care of his younger brother.

Tang Yang's mouth watered, and before Tang Li could reach out to push him, he shook his head preemptively.

"I won't eat. You have it, brother Xi. You eat your fill, and then we'll go pick mushrooms. When we come back, let Brother cook us lunch." Tang Yang remembered what his brother said about taking care of Wei Xi, who wasn't feeling well.

Wei Xi nodded and said, "We're out of meat at home. I'll take some coins, and we'll go to Auntie's house to buy a chicken. We'll have Brother cook it for lunch."

"Yeah, Brother's stewed chicken is delicious!" Tang Yang nodded vigorously, slurping his saliva.

After Wei Xi finished eating, the three little ones headed out together. Before leaving, Wei Xi lightly tapped on the window of the main house and told his brother they were going to pick mushrooms. Wei Dong responded with a grunt from inside the house, his voice muffled through the window.

Wei Xi had never been to the mountains before, not even the small hill in the backyard of their house. He had never climbed because of his poor health; he would get out of breath after just a few steps. Also, he didn't have much desire for exploration when he was alone, so he never thought about climbing.

But now, watching Tang Yang bounding ahead and then back again with such joy, Wei Xi couldn't help feeling envious and happy at the same time.

Maybe someday, he could run so freely just like that!

They hadn't gone far when they found many mushrooms covered by dried branches and fallen leaves at the foot of the mountain, in various colors and shapes.

Wei Xi didn't know which ones to pick, so Tang Li kindly pointed out each one for him.

As the three of them were picking mushrooms, Tang Xu finally woke up.

It wasn't a natural awakening from being fully rested; it was because he needed to pee.

It had to be said that his body was quite resilient. After tossing and turning all night, he was fine except for feeling a bit weak in the legs when getting out of bed. Otherwise, he didn't feel uncomfortable anywhere else.

There was a chamber pot in the house, but Tang Xu didn't like using it. Even with a lid, he felt it left an odor.

Although...

He couldn't think about it. Just thinking about it made him feel weak.

"Has Ah Li and Ah Yang arrived?" he asked quietly as he put on his shoes. 

Wei Dong reached out to support him, "Hmm, are you still sleepy? They've gone up the mountain to pick mushrooms."

"Did Xiao Xi go too?" Tang Xu finished putting on his shoes and glanced down at his cloth shoes, "Your eldest aunt's craftsmanship is really good, the soles are so comfortable to walk on."

"If you like it, we can buy a few more pieces of cloth and have your eldest aunt make some for you," Wei Dong said as he tidied up the pillows and blankets.

"Forget it, it's too much trouble for others, I can make them myself." Tang Xu walked out, turning back to look at him, "Aren't you coming?"

Even for a trip to the outhouse, they always had to have a companion, the couple were always so close.

The pis in the backyard saw someone approaching and started grunting.

Tang Xu was surprised by their intelligence. Just by feeding them once, they remembered people.

"You go cut some grass for the pig, I'll prepare breakfast and feed it more. We'll feed it again when we come back from town."

Wei Dong looked at the leisurely pace at which he walked, feeling somewhat worried, "Are you able to walk?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Xiao Xi can't walk fast either. Let's take a leisurely stroll," Tang Xu said. 

Still concerned, Wei Dong thought for a moment and said, "I'll go ask if there's a cart heading to town. We can hitch a ride."

"That works too. By the way, where did you borrow the horse from that day?" Tang Xu asked, not because he was curious, but mainly because horses were rare in the village, and almost all of them were used for plowing.

Seeing his curiosity, Wei Dong explained, "I borrowed it from Boss Wu, the elder from the Old Can's house. They also have a sedan chair."

"Buying a horse must be quite expensive. Let's buy a donkey instead," Tang Xu suggested, thinking that having a means of transportation at home would be convenient for carrying people and things. "If you catch any prey again, you can also hitch the cart to town or even go to the county."

Wei Dong nodded, "I'm not sure how much a horse costs, but to buy one, we'd have to go to the county. However, we can afford a donkey, probably around ten or so taels of silver."

"Then let's go take a look," Tang Xu felt a bit tempted. Spending around ten taels was manageable. "Let's quickly go cut some pigweed, and we can have a simple meal with a few pancakes."

Wei Dong grunted in agreement and headed out with his sickle and basket.

He hadn't walked far along the slope when he saw three kids bending over, picking mushrooms from the grass. Glancing around, he began cutting pigweed and filling his basket. His movements were swift, and in no time, he had a basketful.

The three kids noticed him and waved.

Wei Dong called them to come down the mountain with him. By the time they returned home, Tang Xu had already cooked the pig feed, and Wei Dong crushed the pigweed and put it in the pot. 

Tang Xu had simmered a pot of mixed grain porridge and made some corn pancakes, which he lined around the pot. Once the porridge was ready, so were the pancakes. He quickly stir-fried some sour and spicy shredded potatoes and pickled radishes.

"Wash your hands and let's eat. Afterward, we'll head to town."

He beckoned with a wave of his hand.

The three kids cheered at the thought of going to town and obediently went to wash their hands.

Tang Xu replaced the small bucket of water that Tang Yang had fetched, removed the dead fish and shrimp, and tossed them into the chicken coop. After cooking the pig feed, he scooped out a large spoonful for the chickens and poured the rest into the pig trough.

The piglet once again showcased their voracious eating abilities, happily devouring the food.

Tang Yang, upon hearing that they were raising pigs, dragged his older sister over to take a look. Pointing at the pig happily eating, he exclaimed, "It can eat a lot, much more than the one Mom raised."

Tang Li agreed, "Yes! Brother can definitely raise fat more than Mother."

"Right! Brother is fatter!"

Tang Xu, standing nearby, felt a sudden pain in his knee. How could they say that? He was so delicate and thin, not fat at all!

After finishing their meal, the three kids tidied up the kitchen. Wei Dong went to find the cart, while Tang Xu went to clean the chicken coop and pigsty. 

Having many animals to care for had its downside; if the waste wasn't cleaned up promptly, the smell could become unbearable, especially now that summer had arrived. With the heat, mosquitoes would breed, adding to the foul odor, which was nauseating just to think about.

They needed to go to the mountains to cut some mugwort and wormwood to burn. Not only would this help repel mosquitoes, but it would also neutralize the odor.

"Brother!" Tang Yang ran over, his cheeks rosy with health and vitality.

This boy had recently grown taller, strong and healthy, with a good appetite, agility, and sound sleep, truly a picture of robust health. "Brother, I forgot to tell you just now. Dad wants you to come back on the sixth day of the month. The two brothers from Uncle's family are getting married."

This news caught Tang Xu off guard. He had thought the brothers' weddings would be scheduled for after the autumn harvest, during the farming lull.

"Got it. I'll go to town later to buy some gifts," Tang Xu thought of how Aunt had also cared for him. She had helped a lot during his wedding, so it was only right to give a token of appreciation.

Tang Yang tugged at his hand as they walked outside, chattering incessantly, "Brother, it would be so much better if you hadn't gotten married. There's no fun at home anymore. Mom always scolds me and Sister, saying we're slow and lazy, but I think she's the lazy one."

Tang Xu frowned, pinching Tang Yang's chubby little hand gently, and taught him, "Even though Mom might be strict and quick-tempered at times, and her words might not always be pleasant to hear, you're her son, and you shouldn't speak of her like that. 

There's a saying, 'A dog doesn't mind a poor home, and a child doesn't mind a mother's appearance.' You might not fully understand the meaning of this saying, but you need to remember, Mom gave you life, and you should show her at least some respect."

He caressed Tang Yang's forehead, "Think about it, Mom is usually good to you. Maybe she's not feeling too good lately because I got married, which has made her a bit more irritable."

Liu Xiangxiang never really disciplined her children, and she never cared about what she said or did in front of them. Children learn by example, and that's probably why Tang Yang was complaining. 

Tang Yang listened silently, feeling a bit shy at his brother's gentle touch on his head. He nodded obediently while holding Tang Xu's hand, "Brother, I understand now. I won't speak like that about her anymore."

"Have you and Sister been feeling upset these past few days?" Tang Xu could imagine what kind of scolding Liu Xiangxiang had been giving. She seemed unable to control her tongue, as if scolding had become her habit. It seemed like she couldn't go a day without scolding someone, and it made everyone uncomfortable.

Tang Yang pursed his lips and nodded, "Sister earned five wen yesterday, but Mom saw it and took all the copper coins. She even said Sister should make more to sell. Sister said she couldn't make so many because Brother said not to. Then Mom scolded Brother too."

Despite being young, Tang Yang was sharp-minded. He noticed that since his brother had recovered from his illness, Mom had been unable to control him. 

Later, it seemed like she even became somewhat afraid of him, which was why he came to talk to his brother about it. Otherwise, he would have kept these things to himself. Tang Yang looked up at Tang Xu, observing his expression. Seeing no reaction from him, Tang Yang felt a bit scared.

"Does Dad know about this?" Tang Xu asked, lowering his head.

Tang Yang nodded, "When Mom was scolding, Dad happened to come back. He scolded Mom too and said that if Sister earned the money herself, she should keep it. Mom refused, saying Sister would get married one day and she was still a loss-making item. Brother, I really don't want to stay at home. Can I come to your house every day from now on? I'll help you with chores and won't just eat for free! Please don't reject me."

Tang Xu chuckled, pinching his cheek, "Your brother and I don't mind having you around, but I'm afraid Dad and Mom might not agree." Tang Yang also understood this logic and sighed disappointedly.

His antics made Tang Xu laugh. He patted Tang Yang on the shoulder and said, "When you grow up a bit more, I'll ask Mom to send you to school too. If Mom says we can't afford to send two children to school, you can tell Dad."

"I don't want to go to school," Tang Yang shook his head, looking like a little adult. "I want to help Dad work in the fields. Dad says working in the fields is exhausting, but he hopes I'll grow up to help him."

"You should ask Mom to buy a cow instead. A cow can do more work than you," Tang Xu truly felt his son was a blessing, remembering that he still understood the toil of farming. It was quite filial of him to express a willingness to help with farming.

Tang Yang's lips turned even more downward. "Mom won't buy one. She says the money is saved for Big Brother's schooling."

"Don't worry about what you'll do in the future. Let's go. Brother will take you to town for a walk," Tang Xu said, leading him to the front yard.

"Brother, Brother-in-law has found the cart. It's parked outside the yard. Xiao Xi has gone back to change clothes," Tang Li walked over, glancing at Tang Yang, noticing his obvious moodiness. She asked, "Did you tell Brother something?"

Tang Yang pouted and snorted, "I complained to Brother! Mom was bullying me." 

Tang Li gave him a stern look, "Didn't I tell you not to say anything?" Tang Yang turned away, ignoring her.

Tang Xu ruffled Tang Yang's head and then looked at Tang Li, saying, "Explain it to Mom clearly. If she wants some copper coins, okay, but she needs to treat you better. You can't give her everything. If you earned five, give her two, and spend some to keep her quiet."

Tang Li pursed her lips. Although she wasn't too keen on the idea, she knew this was the only way to get some copper coins for herself. Otherwise, Mom would surely scold them every day. Scolding wasn't the problem; it was when she started making a scene that nothing could get done.

"I'll go back and talk to her then, but I'm afraid she won't agree," Tang Li said.

"If she doesn't agree, go talk to Dad. Remember, Dad is the head of the household, even though Mom is in charge now. Dad still has the final say," Tang Xu said seriously, looking at Tang Li intently. His tone was firm, and Tang Li seemed to understand something after a moment of thought.

"Do you understand?" Tang Xu asked her.

Tang Li nodded, "I understand, Brother. I know now." The young girl had grown up a little more, understanding the concept of finding someone to rely on.

The cart summoned by Wei Dong was waiting outside the courtyard gate. Tang Xu went to the east wing and saw that Wei Xi had already changed clothes and had his small money pouch tied around his waist.

"If someone accidentally bumps into you, they might snatch it away," Tang Xu said as he helped Wei Xi retie it. "Don't squeeze into crowded places." Wei Xi nodded, "Got it, Brother."

On the journey to town in the cart, Tang Yang's chatter never ceased. He was curious about everything, even calling out that roadside wildflowers were prettier than those in the village.

By the time they reached town, it was already noon, and they arrived at the bustling market. Wei Dong paid the cart driver with a copper coin and told him they didn't need to wait for them. "How will you return then?" the driver asked. 

Ten copper coins were quite a sum; they couldn't just let it slip away. Wei Dong replied, "We're going to buy a donkey and ride it back ourselves." The driver was left speechless with surprise.

He's really wealthy! We've completely underestimated Wei Dong! The villagers would surely be astonished to learn how well-off Wei Dong actually was. 

First, they took Wei Xi to see Doctor Xu at the Rejuvenation Hall for a pulse reading, and the conclusion they received made everyone very happy.

Wei Xi grinned happily, his mouth stretched into a wide smile.

Doctor Xu glanced at Tang Xu, then at Wei Dong. Although he knew Wei Dong had gotten married, he hadn't expected Wei Dong to be attracted to such a striking beauty.

Tang Xu felt puzzled by Doctor Xu's gaze and tilted his head, asking, "What's wrong, Doctor?" Doctor Xu stroked his beard, gesturing for Tang Xu to come over for a pulse reading as well.

Tang Xu looked at Wei Dong, who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Alright, let's check your pulse," Tang Xu said and sat down, observing Doctor Xu's expression. He noticed that the old man seemed quite composed, not even furrowing his brow. "Please extend your arm," Doctor Xu said, indicating for him to switch hands.

Tang Xu switched hands.

"Hmm..." Doctor Xu hummed, furrowing his brow this time.

The four of them watching on the sidelines tensed up, holding their breaths as they all focused on Doctor Xu, not daring to make a sound. "If you want children, you need to take care of your health," Doctor Xu finally said.

With just one sentence, Tang Xu's face turned red. Wei Dong raised an eyebrow, asking, "What's wrong with him?"

"Did you catch a cold recently? There's a lot of internal cold in your body, which can affect this aspect," Doctor Xu said, then glared at Wei Dong. "He's already physically weak. You two just got married, so take it easy!"

Both adults understood the implications of his words.

Tang Xu felt his face burning, even feeling the heat himself.

Wei Dong nodded earnestly and said, "I understand. I'll be careful."

"I didn't say 'be careful,' I said 'restrain yourself'! Do you understand what restraint means?" Doctor Xu almost banged the table. 

Wei Dong's expression shifted; he wasn't stupid and understood!

There was no need to keep repeating it!

Wasn't it just that he couldn't do it for a while!

Wei Dong asked, "How long will it take? You can't let me suffocate from holding back my husband!" 

Tang Xu covered his face with one hand and pounded Wei Dong with the other. "You shut up for me!"

To say such things in front of three children, how thick-skinned could you be!

Wei Dong grabbed Tang Xu's hand as he pounded himself, looking at him seriously. "Why should I shut up? Don't I have the right to ask for clarification?" 

Tang Xu took a deep breath and sneakily glanced through his fingers at the three children. Except for Tang Yang, who seemed oblivious, the other two had blushes on their faces.

Exhaling slowly, Tang Xu waved his hand. "Go on, you three, go to the pharmacy and help out there. Don't loiter around here." The three children obediently held hands and left. 

Wei Dong instructed them, "Don't leave the main hall. We'll come over later."

"We got it!" the trio chorused.

Wei Dong pulled over a chair and sat next to Tang Xu. He reached out, "Let me have my pulse checked too." Doctor Xu cast him a glance and then proceeded to examine him. The strong pulse even made the old man's fingers tremble slightly.

"You... stick out your tongue, let me see," Doctor Xu said.

Wei Dong stuck out his tongue.

Doctor Xu sighed and withdrew his hand. "Go back and eat more bland food. You have excessive internal heat, so avoid overly nourishing foods." 

Tang Xu suddenly remembered the leek dish from yesterday and let out a discreet cough.

"Is that all?" Wei Dong asked.

"That's all. You're healthy, what else could there be?" Doctor Xu looked at him puzzled.

Wei Dong frowned, "Can't you prescribe me some medicine to drink?"

"You have plenty of money, don't tell me you think my pharmacy is just for fun. Buying medicine without being sick? You must be out of your mind," Doctor Xu retorted.

Tang Xu couldn't help but chuckle. His husband was actually taking the teasing in stride. It was quite rare. It seemed that his relationship with Doctor Xu was quite good. Wei Dong clicked his tongue in response and fell silent.

Doctor Xu prescribed Tang Xu some tonic soup, advising him to drink one packet a day. He jokingly added, "Share it with Wei Xi." Tang Xu forced a fake smile and thanked him.

As they stood up to leave, Doctor Xu added, "If you two aren't in a hurry, wait a bit before having children."

Tang Xu was puzzled and asked, "Didn’t you say it would be difficult for me to conceive? Why do we have to wait? Am I particularly fertile?"

This question made him feel a bit uneasy. After all, he was a normal man. Even though there was a slight dot on his brow, he never thought he would have a child one day.

It's not that he couldn't accept it, but he felt it was distant from him. After all, everyone said it's not easy to conceive a son, and being able to have one is considered fortunate.

So, Tang Xu's thought was to let nature take its course. Maybe they wouldn't conceive even after being married for several years, and if they did conceive after a few years, he would adjust his mindset.

Now, this old doctor unexpectedly asked them to wait. Why should they wait? Doesn't that mean they might have a child soon!

Why soon?

Because he had an easily conceiving constitution!

Tang Xu felt dizzy.

He grabbed Wei Dong's arm, looking at the old doctor, waiting for him to give an answer.

Dr. Xu adjusted his beard again, nodding: "The color of your mole is very red. The darker the color, the easier it is to conceive. However, your current physical condition is not very good. Even if you conceive, it's not certain that you'll be able to carry it to term. Take the prescribed medicine for a week, then come back for a check-up."

Tang Xu couldn't describe the feeling in his heart.

He glanced at Wei Dong, seeing nothing but concern in the man's eyes, without a hint of disappointment about not being able to have a child right now.

Suddenly, Tang Xu felt like maybe he wasn't so averse to the idea of getting pregnant.

But he still had to listen to the old doctor's advice. He nodded solemnly, expressing his gratitude.

They went to the lobby to find the three little ones who dispensed medicine. Tang Xu handed over the prescription the old doctor had written, and asked the medicine boy to help gather the herbs.

When Wang Qi saw Tang Xu, who looked as beautiful as a fox spirit from a fairy tale, standing next to Wei Dong, he was momentarily stunned.

"?" Tang Xu didn't understand why he didn't take the prescription he handed over.

Wei Dong's eyes narrowed, and he slammed the prescription onto the counter, saying coldly, "Take the medicine." 

Wang Qi was frightened and quickly took the prescription to prepare the medicine. Tang Xu turned to look at Wei Dong, squinting slightly.

Wei Dong stood tall, his posture upright and honest.

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