The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 49

 

| TBBOTOF | 49

The mule trotted quickly, not even slowing down when pulling the cart, and dashed all the way back to the village without pausing for breath.

Outside the courtyard gate, Tang Xu hopped off the cart, grabbed a piece of sugar from the basket, and fed it to the mule. He gently stroked its neck and said, "Fantastic! Let's give you a name!"

Wei Dong opened the main gate and turned back, asking, "What about the pig? Are we naming it too?" 

Tang Xu glanced at Wei Xi, who had just woken up rubbing his eyes, and asked him, "Xiao Xi, what did we name the pig?" 

Wei Xi blinked, looking confused, "I don't know." 

Tang Yang leaned against Wei Xi and called out, "Let's call it Xiao pang!" 

"Xiao pang?" Tang Xu made a face, "And what if it grows up and becomes Dai pang?"

"How about calling it Pangpang! Since it eats so much, it will definitely become chubby in the future!" Wei Xi thought his younger brother's suggestion was quite good.

Tang Xu waved his hand, As long as you guys are happy.

"What about it?" pointing to the mule, "What should we name it?" 

Wei Xi turned to look at Tang Yang, who furrowed his brows in thought, "Big Donkey?"

Tang Xu's temples twitched.

"What about Sister Li? What name do you think suits it?" Since the younger brother wasn't reliable, they sought their sister's opinion.

Tang Li looked at the mule, which was almost as big as a horse, and considering they returned so quickly, she suggested, "How about calling it KuaiKuai?" 

"..." Tang Xu rubbed his temples; this was truly ironic, the siblings couldn't come up with two different names.

He looked at Wei Xi again, "What about you, Xiao Xi? What should we name it?"

Wei Xi shook his head, "I don't know."

Suddenly, naming seemed so difficult!

Tang Xu turned to ask for Wei Dong's opinion, only to find him already carrying the basket and entering the courtyard.

"...Forget it, can't rely on him."

He stared at the mule and said, "I give up, let's just call it Big Donkey." 

"Why Big Donkey? Is it a big radish?" 

"Brother, why did you give it this name?" 

"Brother doesn't know how to name things."

"Husband~~~ help me~~~" Tang Xu felt overwhelmed by the questions and hurried into the courtyard.

Wei Dong decided, "Let's just call it Big Donkey. You guys go inside and relax, I'll take the donkey to the backyard."

The cart couldn't enter the front yard, so they had to go through the back door. Besides, there was a small piece of unused land in the backyard where it could run freely. They weren't worried it would run away; it could even run up the mountain if it wanted.

Having the freedom to roam in a small area was better than being confined.

After removing the harness, the donkey dashed into the courtyard, trotting along the walls.

After running a lap, it stood at the foot of the hill, looking up, wagging its tail leisurely.

Clearly, the mule was quite satisfied with the place.

The three children went to the east wing room. Tang Xu made honey water for them to drink, then carried a bucket to the backyard to fetch water for the mule.

As he passed by the pigsty, he glanced inside. All the food that had fallen earlier was eaten, and the piglet were sleeping soundly on the grass mat, showing no signs of waking up.

Well, it seemed it wasn't hungry yet.

He carried the bucket of water through the second gate and saw the mule bowing its head, nibbling on the grass in the courtyard, with Wei Dong walking towards him. "We need to get it a trough and a water trough," Tang Xu put the bucket down and waved to his mule. The mule wagged its tail and trotted over to drink the water.

"We also need to set up a shelter, otherwise it will have no place to shelter from the wind and rain," Wei Dong nodded. "Yeah, later I'll go up the mountain to find two suitable stones." Find stones for what?

"To dig the trough."

"...It shouldn't be that troublesome. You go cut down a tree, a thicker one, and use wood to dig instead," Tang Xu gestured with his hand, "Dig two long pits with a whole big piece of wood, leaving the middle untouched."

Wei Dong nodded, "Alright, I'll bring back some yellow clay too. You go get the iron pot, I'll set up the stove later."

"I'll cook the pig feed first; I feel like that chubby piglet is about to wake up." Tang Xu estimated the time. While Wei Dong was busy with those tasks, he organized the things he brought back. They had to feed the chickens and pigs and also feed the mule; they couldn't just let it graze on its own.

The bean cakes bought from the oil mill were raw and couldn't be fed directly to the livestock, so Tang Xu decided to cook them all together. He boiled the pig feed in a big pot and placed bean cake scraps around the edge, just enough to feed the pigs, mule, and chickens together.

The bean cake scraps tended to splatter while cooking, making a mess everywhere. If the stove wasn't wiped clean in time, it would be difficult to clean once it dried.

Sitting on a small wooden stool, Tang Xu watched the fire, stirred the pot to prevent burning, and wiped away the splatters. He was quite busy.

"Elder brother, let me help you." Tang Li came in from outside and reached for the cloth in his hand.

"It'll be done soon," Tang Xu avoided her hand. "You separate the medicine packs we bought. The dark-colored ones are for me, and the lighter ones are for Xiao Xi. Thread them onto the hemp rope and hang them up."

Tang Li nodded, taking out the medicine packs from the backpack and separating them by color before threading them onto the rope.

"Elder brother..."

"What's wrong?" Tang Xu's eyes were fixed on the bubbling bean cake in the pot as he threw in diced potatoes and sweet potatoes.

 Not hearing Tang Li speak, he turned to look and saw her with red eyes, tears streaming down her face as she looked at him with a sorrowful expression. Startled, he quickly asked, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Tang Li raised her hand to wipe her face, wiping away the tears. "Elder brother, is it true that you can't have children because you saved Ah Yang from drowning in the river?"

Tang Xu's expression cracked.

Being asked such a question by a ten-year-old girl, he felt so embarrassed that his toes curled up in discomfort.

Seeing that she might keep crying if she didn't hear his answer, Tang Xu hurriedly said, "Don't think too much. The medicine I'm taking is for body conditioning, not for infertility."

"Really? Don't lie to me," Tang Li didn't believe him.

Tang Xu sighed, feeling both amused and touched. "Why would I lie to you? It's true. The old doctor even advised me and your brother-in-law not to have children too early, fearing that if my body isn't properly conditioned, I might not be able to give birth safely."

Honestly, telling Tang Li this made him feel quite embarrassed.

Stirring the pot with a spoon, he scooped out the cooked bean cake and put it in a basin to cool. He reassured her, "If you don't believe me, you can ask your brother-in-law. He wouldn't lie to you."

Tang Li thought for a moment, feeling that her brother probably wasn't lying to her. Nevertheless, she planned to go and ask Wei Dong about it. After all, in her mind, her brother-in-law was someone who spoke frankly.

As Tang Li reached for the basin to carry the pig feed, Tang Xu reminded her, "It's heavy!"

Tang Li pursed her lips, carrying the basin with both hands and hurriedly heading to the backyard pigsty, showing through actions that she could handle it! 

Tang Xu chuckled and put the bean cakes in a basket, then called out, "Ah Yang!"

In the courtyard, Tang Yang, who was looking at the small fish in the water bucket, heard the call and ran to the kitchen. 

Seeing the basket handed to him by his elder brother, he reached out to grab the bean cakes. "I didn't ask you to eat, I asked you to take it to feed the big donkey," Tang Xu poked his forehead. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really hungry," he shook his head, sniffed the bean cakes, then chuckled and put them back. "Brother Xi  said he's going to his aunt's house to buy a chicken. He wants to eat stewed chicken."

"Then when Xiao Xi comes back, I'll prepare the meal. You go feed the donkey first, don't get too close, just put the basket on the ground." Tang Xu turned back to continue his work only after he nodded in agreement, scrubbing the pot and arranging the purchased spices.

Wei Dong went up the mountain intending to cut trees, but he found a section of dead wood near the slope where he was digging yellow clay. The wood was thick, and the core was rotten from insect infestation. After digging out the rotten parts and carving out a large hole in the unaffected area, he found it surprisingly sturdy.

It saved him some effort.

Carrying a basket of yellow clay and dragging a large section of dead tree, he walked down the mountain. He also caught a wild rabbit, its fur a golden hue, and still alive! Holding the rabbit by its ears, he lifted it up and examined it, raising an eyebrow.

It's pregnant.

Originally, he was going to let it go, but looking at the fluffy rabbit, he thought both the big and small ones at home would probably like it. 

Thinking of Tang Xu's temperament, he smiled at the female rabbit in his hand. "You probably need a name too." 

The female rabbit hung limp in his hand, not moving except for the trembling of its lips, indicating it was frightened. 

When he arrived home, he happened to meet Wei Zhonghong, who was holding a chicken in one hand and leading Wei Xi with the other, at the front door. The three of them stood outside the courtyard gate and smiled at each other.

Wei Zhonghong had noticed the changes in these two brothers recently. Although the iron gate of Wei Dong's mansion was often closed, these two brothers seemed willing to come out from beyond the gate.

Not only had Wei Dong visited their own house more frequently in the past month, but today Wei Xi had also come over by himself.

At that moment, she was watering the vegetables in the yard and didn't expect to turn around and see Wei Xi entering the yard from outside.

God knows how startled she was; she dropped the ladle back into the bucket, splashing quite a few drops of water onto herself.

"Xiao Xi?" Wei Zhonghong quickly wiped her hands on her apron and hurried over.

Wei Xi smiled at her with his chubby cheeks, which had gained some flesh recently. His smile was so soft that it made people want to pinch him.

Surprised by the healthy complexion and lively spirit of her frail little nephew, Wei Zhonghong asked, "Why did you suddenly come by yourself? Where's your brother?"

"My brother seems to have gone up the mountain. Auntie, I want to buy a hen from you." Wei Xi took a few steps forward and said to her, "My little brother said that brother-in-law's stewed chicken is very delicious, and I want to try it too. But the chickens I raise haven't grown up yet. Even if I slaughter them, there won't be much meat. Auntie, can you sell me a fat hen?"

After speaking, he felt shy and his cheeks flushed red.

Wei Zhonghong couldn't help but smile and reached out to pat his cheek. "Why buy? Auntie will just catch one for you directly."

"No, my brother said we shouldn't take advantage," Wei Xi shook his head, looking serious. "And Auntie is very kind to us. I don't want others to say I'm ungrateful."

Wei Zhonghong gently caressed his cheek and nodded. "Alright, I'll listen to you. Let's go, let's catch a chicken with Auntie." After catching the fattest hen, Wei Zhonghong said she would accompany Wei Xi back home.

Wei Xi initially refused, but Wei Zhonghong insisted, so he didn't say anything more and let her lead him slowly home. 

On the way, Wei Zhonghong asked him, "Is your brother-in-law good to you?"

"Great, brother-in-law is very good. He's especially capable. We went to town today and bought a really good-looking donkey. Brother-in-law said we should name the donkey Big donkey. We also got a pig named Hui, it's a big eater! Brother-in-law cooks really delicious food, and he can even make dumplings and steamed big buns! I always eat a lot, but my brother-in-law won't let me eat too much, afraid I'll feel uncomfortable being too full."

Listening to his chatter, Wei Zhonghong's eyes were full of satisfaction.

"You went to town to see the doctor? What did he say?"

"He said I've been taking good care of myself recently and need to maintain it. I'll get better and better in the future," Wei Xi looked up at her. "The doctor said brother-in-law's health isn't very good either and he needs medication for conditioning. So, we'll be taking medicine together in the future!"

Wei Zhonghong frowned. "What's wrong with Xu Ge'er’s health?"

Wei Xi shook his head. "I don't know, he didn't tell us in detail." 

Then they saw Wei Dong turning the corner from the other side. They were startled by the sight of him holding a rabbit in one hand and dragging a tree in the other. Wei Xi reached out to touch the rabbit, but Wei Dong directly stuffed the rabbit into his arms and gestured, "Go give it to your brother-in-law."

"Do we want to eat the rabbit?" Wei Xi held the rabbit, feeling its warmth and slight tremble. "Since it's rare for it to be alive, let's not kill it, okay?"

"Don't kill it. This rabbit is pregnant. Let your brother-in-law find a place to raise it first. We'll eat more rabbits when there are more." Wei Dong was ruthless. 

Wei Xi acknowledged with a sound, said goodbye to Wei Zhonghong, and then entered the courtyard with the rabbit.

Wei Dong looked at Wei Zhonghong. "Auntie, do you have something to talk to me about?"

Wei Zhonghong nodded, wanting to ask him about Xu Ge'er's health.

But then they heard Wei Dong saying, "Why don't you come in and sit for a while? Don't stand here."

Wei Zhonghong looked surprised.

"Not talk in the courtyard, but inside?" 

Wei Dong nodded. "Yes, if Xu Ge'er sees me not letting you in, he might pinch me. He can be quite tough." 

Wei Zhonghong burst into laughter, affectionately patting his arm. "Finally, someone can handle you." 

Wei Dong raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to go in first.

Tang Xu came out of the kitchen just in time to see Wei Xi coming in with the rabbit. He was about to ask why he didn't go to Auntie's house to buy the chicken when he saw Wei Zhonghong and Wei Dong entering the courtyard shortly after.

He greeted them nervously, smiling, "Auntie."

"Xu Ge'er, you look great," Wei Zhonghong looked him up and down, focusing on his complexion, which was fair and healthy. Tang Xu was taken aback, then turned to look at Wei Xi.

Wei Xi looked up at him and tilted his head to the side.

"Brother Xi!" Tang Yang came from the backyard and ran over to Wei Xi. "What a big rabbit!"

 Wei Xi showed him the rabbit in his arms. "My brother said this is a pregnant rabbit, so we're not going to eat it." 

Tang Yang nodded, his eyes shining brightly. "Then, are we going to keep it?"

"Yeah, we'll eat more rabbits after it gives birth!" Wei Xi's eyes sparkled as well. 

Tang Xu smirked, then turned to Tang Yang. "Ah Yang, say hello."

Tang Yang finally noticed the woman blocked by Tang Xu and greeted her with a sunny smile. "Hello, Auntie!" 

Wei Zhonghong was surprised by the sturdy little guy and nodded back with a smile. "Hello to you too."

Tang Yang then turned to Tang Xu and asked, "Brother, can Xiao Xi and I go put the rabbit next to Big donkey?" 

"Sure." Tang Xu nodded, patting their heads. "Go ahead, but don't stay in the sun. Find a shady place to play." 

After they left, Tang Xu turned to apologize to Wei Zhonghong with a smile. "Let's go inside the house auntie. It's pretty hot outside." 

Wei Zhonghong agreed and followed him inside.

Passing by the kitchen, he called out, "Ah Li, come say hello."

Tang Li put down the potatoes she was peeling, washed her hands, and walked out of the kitchen. She was momentarily stunned when she saw Wei Zhonghong but quickly smiled warmly at her. "Hello, Auntie."

"What a lovely young lady," Wei Zhonghong also smiled warmly and nodded friendly at her, complimenting her.

Tang Li smiled shyly, her cheeks blushing.

Tang Xu said to Wei Zhonghong, "Auntie, please have a seat inside. Ah Li, go pour two glasses of water." 

Tang Li nodded, not feeling anything wrong about being instructed by Tang Xu. Wei Zhonghong noticed this but didn't show much reaction, although she found it a bit strange. Upon entering the living room, she noticed that the house was clean and tidy.

After she sat down, waiting for Tang Xu to do the same, she asked with concern, "Xiao Xi said you went to see a doctor in town, and now you're taking medicine too? Are you not feeling well?"

Tang Xu licked his slightly dry lips and scratched his head with a hint of embarrassment. "It's nothing serious, Auntie, don't worry."

"You silly child, if it's not serious, then explain clearly what's going on?" Wei Zhonghong frowned, looking displeased. "If it's not serious, why take medicine?"

"Just, um, just taking some medicine to regulate my body," Tang Xu felt awkward discussing pregnancy matters with a relatively unfamiliar elder. 

Wei Zhonghong was impatient, and seeing him hesitate only made her more so. She stood up, about to leave to find Wei Dong. 

Tang Xu quickly stopped her. "Auntie, please don't go. Let me tell you."

He could sense that Wei Zhonghong genuinely cared about his health, whatever the reason, and he was grateful for her concern. 

At that moment, Tang Li came in with two glasses of warm water. After glancing at the two of them, she put down the glasses, smiled at Wei Zhonghong, and then quickly left the room. Sensing the tension, she didn't want to stick around for any potential conflict.

After she left, it was just Tang Xu and Wei Zhonghong in the living room.

Wei Zhonghong sat back down and took a sip of water, raising an eyebrow. "Your sister is very considerate." She found the water temperature just right. Usually, when someone pours a glass of water, it's either too cold or too hot. She never paid attention to such details before.

Tang Xu also took a sip of water and nodded with a smile. "She's a smart and good girl."

"Now, tell me what's really going on with you," Wei Zhonghong changed the subject, pressing for answers. Tang Xu felt a headache coming on and covered his face with his hands.

"I caught a cold before, and the old doctor said I shouldn't conceive too early, fearing that I might not be able to carry the child."

As he finished speaking, he noticed Wei Zhonghong's eyes welling up with tears.

Tang Xu was taken aback and hurriedly waved his hands, "Auntie, I'm fine. The old doctor said I just need to take medicine for a while. It's not that I can't have children."

Wei Zhonghong bit her lip to calm her slightly rapid breathing. She grabbed Tang Xu's hand and rubbed it vigorously. "Don't be afraid, Xu Ge'er. Don't be afraid."

Tang Xu felt like he had been hit in the face head-on. He stared at Wei Zhonghong's lips, opening and closing, but couldn't react for a long time.

"Even if you can't have children, it's okay. Just live a good life with Dongzi. Xiao Xi is a good kid. When he grows up, he will be very filial to you both."

Tang Xu finally snapped out of it, feeling both touched and speechless.

“It’s not that, Auntie, you misunderstood me. It's not that I can't have children, it's just that I shouldn't conceive before my body is properly regulated," Tang Xu clarified.

Wei Zhonghong looked puzzled.

Tang Xu sighed and pursed his lips, muttering softly, "It’s easy for me to get  pregnant."

Wei Zhonghong was astonished, thinking she misheard, "It’s easy for you to get pregnant? Really? But didn't you say you will have difficulty conceiving?"

Tang Xu had to repeat what the old doctor had told him, emphasizing it to Wei Zhonghong once again. Finally, he shrugged, "That's it, Auntie, rest assured, I'm really fine. Once I finish the medication, everything will be okay."

Wei Zhonghong finally digested his words, staring at the red birthmark on Tang Xu's forehead. She muttered softly, "God bless."

"Alright, now that I know you're both fine, I can relax," Wei Zhonghong stood up and smiled at him, "In the future, don't try to hide anything from your elders. Don't learn from Dongzi, understand?"

Tang Xu nodded, "I understand, Auntie. Rest assured, I won't hide anything."

Wei Zhonghong sighed, "I'm leaving, you take care."

"Sure, let me walk you out," Tang Xu escorted her to the gate, watching Wei Zhonghong turn onto the village path before returning inside.

"Brother!" Tang Li pointed to the basin of plucked chicken, "I've kept all the feathers. Brother and Xiao Xi are in the backyard."

"You take a break," Tang Xu went over to wipe the sweat from her forehead, "I didn't ask you to come over and work."

Tang Li smiled at him, "I like helping Brother with the chores."

"Alright, then go wash some mushrooms. We'll use them for the stew later," Tang Xu went into the kitchen, muttering to himself, "Cook white rice, stew chicken with mushrooms and potatoes, fry small fish and shrimp. What do you feel like eating?"

Tang Li originally wanted to politely say that those choices were enough, but then she thought about her brother-in-law's appetite and stopped herself.

She glanced at the garden, noticing the fresh vegetables, "Whatever Brother cooks, I'll eat."

"Alright, then we'll make honey radish salad to clear the heat, cucumber slices stir-fried with eggs, spinach soup. Ah Li, go pick some spinach from the garden, take four cucumbers from the shelf, and two green radishes. Wash them together."

"Brother, how many eggs?" 

"Five," Tang Xu held an empty basin, looking at her with a helpless expression, "Your brother-in-law doesn't need extra nutrition."

Tang Li couldn't help but chuckle.

In the backyard，Tang Yang looked at the rabbit leisurely eating grass, patting Wei Xi's shoulder, and asked, "Brother Xi, guess how many baby rabbits it can have?"

The two of them squatted about a meter away from the rabbit. Wei Xi stared at the rabbit, pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "I don't know, but I think it should be able to have a lot, its belly is so big!"

As Wei Dong placed the piece of wood on the ground and fetched two buckets of water to wash, he overheard their conversation. Turning his head to look at them, he reminded, "Rabbits dig burrows. If you keep it here, you probably won't see how many baby rabbits it can have."

Both Wei Xi and Tang Yang turned their heads simultaneously, widening their eyes to look at him. Even though Wei Dong had a tough exterior, he softened at that moment.

Shaking off the water from his hands, Wei Dong glanced around and pointed to the wall of the courtyard, "Build a nest next to the chicken coop for it, and you two can help make a shelter with straw."

The two younger boys nodded excitedly, "We'll help!"

While Tang Xu was cooking with Tang Li, Wei Dong took charge of doing crafts with the children.

To be honest, he was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

For two little ones who were completely clueless, teaching them how to tie straw was as difficult as asking them to kill a wild boar with their bare hands!

Wei Xi cautiously glanced at his brother, then glanced at the messy straw on himself and Tang Yang.

He swallowed nervously.

He was scared.

Tang Yang carefully wrapped the hemp rope around his hand, round and round, but as soon as he picked it up, all the straw scattered. He looked up at Wei Dong, fiercely swallowing his saliva.

Now he was scared too.

"Wuwuwu, big brother, save us~~~"

Tang Xu covered the pot lid and turned to ask Tang Li, who was sitting on a small wooden stool with her chin in her hand, "Where are Xiao Xi and Ah Yang?" 

Tang Li shook her head, her eyes scanning past Tang Xu to the steaming pot, "I don't know."

"You go check the backyard, they're probably still playing with the rabbits."

"Oh, okay."

Tang Li saw a group of them by the chicken coop in the backyard. She took a step forward, then turned around and ran back.

"Big brother! Big brother!" She rushed into the kitchen, her face full of shock, "Big brother, you have to go see!"

Tang Xu was slicing cucumber, and her words startled him, causing his hand to tremble. The sharp blade narrowly missed his fingernail as he cut down, "What's wrong? Is Xiao Xi sick?"

"It's not that," Tang Li shook her head vigorously, "It seems like brother-in-law is angry!" Tang Xu let out a breath, scared out of his wits.

Wait, who's angry?

"Is your brother-in-law angry?" Tang Xu frowned, "Make sure the soup in the pot doesn't burn, where are they?"

"By the chicken coop."

Tang Xu hurriedly ran outside and at the corner, witnessed the scene that had frightened Tang Li.

Wei Dong had a stern face, expressionless as he watched the two boys working diligently with their heads down. When he heard the commotion, he turned his head, and his gaze was icy cold.

Tang Xu grinned, quite intimidating.

He walked over with a smile, gently patting Wei Dong on the back of his neck, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Wei Dong let out a sigh, his tense body leaning towards Tang Xu, his head resting on his abdomen as he weakly spoke, "I thought I was already bad at making up things, but turns out, these two are even worse than me."

The two little brothers looked up at Tang Xu with tearful eyes.

Were they really dumb?

Clearly, it was their brother who couldn't teach!

Tang Xu glanced at the scattered straw on the ground and said with a smile, "They're still young and haven't done this before. We'll teach them slowly. You two go wash your hands and brush off the straw from your bodies. We'll be eating soon."

The two little brothers cheered and hurried off.

Wei Dong reached down and gathered the scattered straw on the ground, then stuffed it into a sack. Tang Xu watched his rough movements and chuckled, "No need to get so worked up."

"I'm not angry," Wei Dong looked up at him, paused for a moment, and added, "I'm not mad at them, it's just a small matter. I just feel like maybe I'm not patient enough."

Tang Xu grabbed his arm and pulled him up, laughing as he dragged him towards the well, "Alright, alright, stop being so hard on yourself. You're already doing a great job being there for them."

Wei Dong nodded and after washing his hands, turned to Tang Xu, "Do you want to check on the mule's trough?"

"After we finish eating," Tang Xu splashed water on his face, the well water chilling, "If only we had a big watermelon." 

"What is that?" Wei Dong shook his hand, "The peaches at Xiaoyou are ripe now. If you want, I can pick some for you."

Tang Xu nodded and smiled at him, "I'd love to, but I want to come with you! Watermelons are mostly green with black stripes, resembling a large winter melon. They're not common around here."

Wei Dong thought for a moment and realized he hadn't seen them either.  

The question arises: where did Tang Xu see them, given that he hasn't been in and out of the mountains? He knew his spouse was mysterious, but he respected them, leaving many questions in his heart. He would be a listener when the day came for him to speak.

"Hurry up, I'm starving! And there's still a plate of egg and cucumber slices to fry!" But when he arrived at the kitchen, Tang Li had already finished frying the egg and cucumber slices.

"Ah Li, you're really capable!" Tang Xu gave her a thumbs up, praising, "My little sister is not only beautiful and kind-hearted but also very capable. When she grows up, I don't know which lucky guy will end up with her. Just thinking about it makes me anxious."

This statement was absolutely sincere, without a trace of falsehood.

Wei Xi nodded beside him, one hand holding the bowl and the other holding chopsticks, stirring the shredded radish and honey inside, saying, "Ah Li is indeed very capable, and she looks pretty when she smiles. She never raises her voice to scold anyone."

Tang Yang eagerly reached out to Wei Xi, making sounds of anticipation, and Wei Xi added two strands of radish to his bowl, asking, "Is it sweet?"

"Sweet! Honey is delicious, it's fragrant!" Tang Yang held his face, happily chewing away.

It was only the second time he had tasted the sweetness of honey in his life, the first being when he drank honey water here, which was also delicious.

Wei Xi grinned proudly at Tang Xu, shaking his little head, "Brother, I mixed the shredded radish!"

"You're amazing too. Go to the main hall, I'll serve the chicken, and Ah Yang can help set the table," Tang Xu called out loudly, "My dear~~~ Can you bring down the small jar from the top shelf of the wooden rack in the granary room?"

Wei Dong went to fetch the jar. Standing in front of the shelf, he looked up and, at some point unknown to him, this room, which had originally served as a granary, had been filled with all sorts of jars, big and small. Furthermore, various things he couldn't quite understand were written on top of the jars with black charcoal.

What does "12345" mean?

Before Wei Dong could ask, Tang Xu reminded him, "It's the first one on your right when facing the shelf."

Wei Dong reached up and brought down the small jar as instructed, which had '1' written on it.

"What's inside? Why do I hear water?" He walked to Tang Xu holding the jar in his hands and asked, but before he finished his question, a piece of chicken was stuffed into his mouth, and he enjoyed the taste while chewing.

"It's mulberry wine," Tang Xu gestured for him to take away the large pot of chicken stewed with potatoes and mushrooms from the stove, while he herself opened the lid of the jar and took a sniff. He had soaked all the mulberries he had picked that day in the wine. 

The wine used was the cheapest kind that Tang Erhu usually drank, "It should be fine."

He had acted on impulse when he soaked them, even adding sugar inside!

He poured a small bowl of the wine, the purplish-red liquid emitting a faint fruity aroma. He took a sip, smacking his lips.

This taste, the fruit wine was spot on!

"How is it?" Wei Dong returned after taking the large pot to the main hall, curious as he saw him holding the small bowl. He leaned over and took a sip, puckering his lips, "Why is it so sweet? And the alcohol taste is very light."

Tang Xu explained how he made the wine, and after hearing it, Wei Dong asked, "Can't cherries be soaked too?"

"Oh, yes, I soaked them," Tang Xu grinned, "That jar next to it is. It's similar to soaking medicinal wine, just a different taste. Bring it over, and we can have a drink together."

Wei Dong smiled at him, saying he was right, and they had a small drink.

Tang Li and Tang Yang were about to leave after finishing their meal. They had spent the whole day with their big brother, making them feel like they lived together.

They didn't want to leave; it was just too comfortable here.

Tang Xu saw the reluctance in their eyes, but unfortunately, their reluctance wouldn't change anything.

After thinking for a moment, he turned to Wei Xi and said, "Xiao Xi, go take a bath and sleep first. I'll go with my siblings to see them off."

Wei Xi nodded and waved goodbye to Tang Li and Tang Yang, his eyes also filled with reluctance.

"Let's go, it's not like we won't see each other again," Tang Xu urged, "Let's not wait until it's completely dark."

By the time they reached the front door of the Tang family's house, it was already pitch black outside. After the siblings went inside, the sound of Liu Xiangxiang's scolding could be heard.

She asked them why they didn't bring anything back and scolded Tang Xu as a heartless wolf.

Neither of the siblings said anything, and all that could be heard was Liu Xiangxiang's grumbling.

Tang Xu frowned and turned to Wei Dong, "Let's go."

"Did she used to scold you like that before?" Wei Dong put his arm around Tang Xu's shoulder, half embracing him, "And your dad didn't do anything about it?"

Tang Xu thought for a moment, then roughly explained to him the environment in which he and his siblings had grown up, as well as how he had stood up to his mother when he realized the truth about life and death, and how he had been protected by his father.

Wei Dong nodded repeatedly, "You're very clever, and you've handled things well."

"My father is actually pretty good, at least we've been happy together during this recent period," Tang Xu spoke the truth. He harbored no resentment towards Tang Erhu. 

You couldn't expect a man who worked in the fields every day to be more attentive to household matters. His mind was filled with thoughts of how to tend the fields well, harvest more crops, and earn more money. His neglect of his family and children was not really his fault. "As for my mother, well, it seems like she has a strong hostility towards me as I grow more and more beautiful."

Tang Xu stopped speaking and stood still, looking up at Wei Dong. "I always feel like, even if I'm not her biological child, she shouldn't look at me with such eyes. Could she be suspecting that I'll compete with her for her man?"

Wei Dong's eyelid twitched, and he lowered his head to bite gently on Tang Xu's face. "Don't say such scary things!"

"Why do you think she's like that?" Tang Xu chuckled and poked him in the side. "Let's guess."

Wei Dong raised an eyebrow and wrapped his arm around him, urging him forward.

"If we can't guess, you can just ask her directly."

"I wish I could ask her. However, If I were really brought up, she'd probably end up being kicked out of the house," Tang Xu sighed heavily, relaxing his body as he leaned against the man's chest, taking steps along with his momentum. "And I wouldn't necessarily be happy if she were kicked out."

Wei Dong gently patted his waist with his big hand. "You're too soft-hearted."

"She did raise me after all," Tang Xu shrugged, "I figure maybe she lost the child she was pregnant with at the time, and then she brought me back from someone else to be her child... Or maybe she switched me with that child because she wanted her own child to have a better life?"

"That doesn't quite seem right," he dismissed his own speculation, "It feels like something's missing."

Wei Dong also joined in the guessing, "If that child were still alive, she wouldn't treat you like this. Isn't she afraid that you'll turn against her and find your biological parents in the future? Then her child would also face the risk of being swapped back. Not to mention, would that child agree? Would they not resent her? I suspect that child died shortly after birth."

Tang Xu was momentarily stunned, following his train of thought, "Yes, you're right. She's not afraid of her own child resenting her. Even if I threatened her, she's only afraid of me revealing the truth to more people. She's not afraid of me severing ties with her and finding my biological parents. But why isn't she afraid?"

Wei Dong replied with a complicated mood, "Because you have no biological parents to find." Tang Xu felt a pang in his heart.

Indeed, because Tang Xu's biological parents had already passed away. 

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