The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 35

 

| TBBOTOF | 35

Braised pork stewed with potatoes, with three layers of fat and lean meat, had a bright red color and tender skin. The fat melted in the mouth while the lean meat remained flavorful without being tough, offering a savory and slightly salty taste. The potatoes absorbed the meat juices, enhancing their flavor and providing a rich and sticky texture.

Due to frying the meat first, there wasn't much oil in the soup after stewing. The sweet and sour pork ribs were perfectly balanced, with the meat easily separating from the bone with a gentle pull, becoming more appetizing with each bite.

The pork rib and radish soup had a slightly milky white color, garnished with chopped green onions. With a single sip, it was both fresh and sweet, the radishes soft and tender, enveloping the meaty flavor, making it even more delicious than the pork ribs themselves.

The cold mixed wild vegetables, with plenty of minced garlic, had the garlic lightly browned in hot oil, losing its spiciness. With a dash of vinegar and salt, it offered a savory, tangy, and refreshing taste.

The acacia flower rice smelled and tasted heavenly, with a soft yet firm texture. Its natural sweetness was enhanced by a hint of saltiness, while the addition of chili oil provided a spicy kick, making one's forehead sweat and body warm with each mouthful.

Initially, Tang Xu thought he had scooped too much white rice into the large pot, but he underestimated Wei Dong's bottomless stomach.

Not only did Wei Dong eat heartily, but Wei Xi also couldn't stop eating.

"Wei Xi, you can't eat anymore," Tang Xu had to speak up to stop Wei Xi from getting a third serving of rice. "You've already had two bowls of rice and one bowl of acacia flower rice. Eating too much isn't good."

Although Wei Xi's bowls were much smaller than theirs, he still managed to eat a considerable amount. Normally, he didn't eat much, but he couldn't resist eating so much at once, risking overeating.

Wei Xi licked his lips, reluctantly putting down his bowl. He knew he was full, but he couldn't help but still want to eat.

He had never eaten such delicious food before, never!

Even the dishes brought back by his brother from the county restaurant couldn't compare to this.

"Brother Xu, can I have another bowl of soup?" He held the bowl, looking at Tang Xu with eager eyes.

Tang Xu frowned and gently touched Wei Xi's stomach, shaking his head. "You can't have any more now. Your stomach is already full. You can have some more tonight."

Wei Xi pouted and looked at his brother, murmuring, "My brother has finished drinking all of it. There won't be any left for me tonight."

Thinking about having to eat his brother's cooking again tonight, Wei Xi almost cried.

His overly dramatic expression made it hard for Tang Xu not to laugh.

"Wei Dong!" He called out to the young man who was focused on eating, facing Wei Xi's watery eyes. "Save some soup for Wei Xi. Don't drink it all."

Wei Dong raised his eyes, meeting his gaze.

Sparks seemed to fly in the air between them.

Wei Dong looked at his brother and noticed the greasy shine around Wei Xi's mouth after finishing his meal, occasionally burping. 

This was unprecedented; Wei Xi usually ate only a little and claimed to have no appetite. "You don't like what I cook," he didn't say whether he would leave any soup for Wei Xi but stated a fact. 

Wei Xi lowered his head, unwilling to look at his brother, but nodded firmly. Yes, you're right, I don't like it! Sobbing, he turned to Tang Xu with pleading eyes. "Brother Xu, please marry my brother!"

Tang Xu: "..."

Wei Dong: "..."

Their eyes met again, sparks flying in the air.

Tang Xu sipped his soup, stealing glances at Wei Dong's expression, his ears turning red. Wei Dong remained expressionless but ate faster, his ears also turning red.

Neither of them spoke. Wei Xi pouted and hmphed, "Fine, I'm just a kid. I can't meddle in adult affairs. I'll go back to my room and sleep!"

Tang Xu replied, "Don't go to sleep right away. Take a walk along the courtyard wall, slowly." Wei Xi muttered an acknowledgment and nodded obediently.

Once he left, the two equally red-eared men met each other's gaze again, each holding a bowl—one with rice, the other with soup. Tang Xu was numb all over now, not just his scalp but also his fingertips.

His heart was pounding rapidly, though he appeared calm on the surface. In reality, he felt like his soul had left his body long ago.

Who would have thought that Wei Xi, the seemingly obedient and sensible child, was actually the straightforward one, far more terrifying than Tang Xu, who preferred to beat around the bush!

Wei Dong had an astonishing appetite. He sat there, hardly speaking, simply eating bowl after bowl of rice, pouring some of it into the large porcelain bowl filled with pork belly, stirring it with his chopsticks, and then eating directly from it.

With lightning speed, he devoured his food.

Tang Xu had served Wei Xi a bowl of pork rib and radish soup on the side, watching as he gradually emptied the bowl, wondering where all the food went in his seemingly bottomless stomach.

In the end, there was a little bit of huaihua rice left, which Tang Xu stopped Wei Dong from eating.

"Are you planning to eat enough for three meals in one sitting?" Tang Xu remarked as Wei Dong licked his lips, a grain of rice escaping.

"Delicious." Despite not being able to articulate praise with fancy words, Wei Dong's hearty eating was the best feedback. Tang Xu shook his head disapprovingly, "Even if it's delicious, you shouldn't eat so much. If you want to eat again next time, I'll cook for you."

He stared directly into Wei Dong's eyes, hoping he would understand his hint. How should he put it, even though he was desperate to get married, Tang Xu still had some dignity left for now.

So he didn't dare to ask Wei Dong directly if he could marry him. After all, they weren't that close. His visit today was also a series of coincidences, and he found himself taking the initiative, feeling somewhat unwilling in his heart.

Let's put it this way, everyone had a little selfishness.

Tang Xu was well aware of his feelings for Wei Dong, wanting to do this and that for him, wanting to take care of him, but he didn't want to rush into marriage blindly, without understanding each other. They needed to spend some time together, get to know each other.

He didn't know what Wei Dong was thinking. Even though Wei Dong helped him out and caught fish for him, it could all be seen as acts of kindness and politeness.

So Tang Xu planned to restrain his enthusiasm a bit and not get too close. After all, they hadn't met many times, and they needed to familiarize themselves with each other.

A little teasing, then retreat. If Wei Dong didn't pursue, then so be it.

If he did pursue, Tang Xu could give a little response and then retreat again. A few rounds of pursuit and teasing, mutual understanding, and then the relationship would naturally develop.

He had a lot on his mind, all about how to get along with Wei Dong without appearing too eager, yet still making him think about him. Wei Dong was stimulated by Tang Xu's words about the next opportunity, and his heart raced a bit. He was clumsy with words and didn't know how to respond, so he just nodded dumbly and said okay. Tang Xu chuckled lightly, got up, and began to clean up the dishes.

Wei Dong followed his movements and realized he couldn't just sit there. He reached out to help, but Tang Xu stopped him, saying, "Go check on Wei Xi. After the walk, let him rest. Don't tire him out. Pay attention to his condition today. Eating too much can cause indigestion and fever. It's best to just give him some soup tonight."

Wei Dong nodded obediently and withdrew his hand, heading to the courtyard to find his younger brother.

Tang Xu thought to himself that his plan seemed to be working. So far, he was satisfied with Wei Dong's behavior and reactions. Humming a little tune, he went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, once again marveling at the convenience of having a well in the courtyard. Being able to use water freely was truly fantastic.

Shaking off the water from his hands, he finished weaving the top of the bamboo basket and then went to the large water tank in the courtyard, where eight big fish were swimming.

He hadn't noticed them when Wei Dong came back earlier, but he had guessed from the conversation between the two older ladies that there were quite a few fish. But seeing them for himself, he couldn't help but admire Wei Dong's skill in catching them without killing them.

Although they all seemed a bit lifeless at the bottom of the tank, at least none of them were floating belly-up.

Well Tang Xu thought to himself. ‘I'll keep two for braising tonight, give two to the old house, and help Wei Dong establish a presence there so that the old lady and the aunt won't keep trying to introduce men to me. The remaining four can be salted and dried to make fried salted fish later, which will surely be delicious.’

Thinking this way in his mind, he asked aloud, "Are these fish all for me?"

Wei Dong glanced at his brother, who had gone back inside, and nodded in response to Tang Xu's question. "Yes, you can take them all."

Tang Xu's eyes twinkled as he continued, "The acacia trees in your backyard are growing well. I want to pick some acacia flowers to take home and make acacia flower rice for my family. Can you help me pick some?"

Wei Dong nodded again. "Sure."

Tang Xu had come with a backpack, so they went to the backyard and picked a large basket of acacia flowers, as well as a basket of elm seeds.

Wei Dong couldn't let Tang Xu carry all the stuff back by himself, so he said, "I'll accompany you."

Tang Xu smiled and agreed, noticing Wei Dong retrieving a basket and scooping out the fish to put them inside. "You should keep two for making soup. Fresh fish soup made from live fish is delicious."

"I can't cook," Wei Dong was quite aware of his own culinary skills, especially after enjoying such a delicious meal today. He knew exactly what his fish would taste like if he cooked them. "My fish would be bitter, with too many bones, and a strong fishy smell. Wei Xi wouldn't be able to stomach it."

As they walked outside, Tang Xu explained that the bitterness came from the gallbladder and should be removed carefully during cleaning. He also suggested adding more ginger and scallions to reduce the fishy smell, and a splash of cooking wine would enhance the flavor.

After saying this, Tang Xu noticed Wei Dong's lack of reaction and looked at him in confusion. "What? You don't like hearing me say these things?"

"I do like it. I'm listening," Wei Dong quickly replied, emphasizing, "I enjoy listening to you."

Tang Xu felt a slight flutter in his heart, wanting to ask why he only listened without engaging in conversation, but the words didn't come out. Then, footsteps approached from the side, causing him to swallow his words and turn his head to look.

Wei Dong also glanced in that direction.

Tang Xu took a quick look and then turned back, continuing to walk forward. However, after a few steps, he realized that Wei Dong hadn't followed.

"Hmm?" Tang Xu turned back to look at him. "Why did you stop?"

They planned to walk through the back village to the front village, avoiding a detour, and they could reach home in less than half an hour.

Wei Dong nodded towards the approaching person. "They're probably looking for me."

Tang Xu turned to look again, and the person waved and called out, "Brother Dong!"

As he approached, Tang Xu got a clear view of the person's face.

Thick eyebrows, large eyes, a high nose bridge, full lips, and a slightly square chin—these features made him quite handsome, the kind of face that girls would find attractive. It was a very dignified face. Wei Dong stood in front, with Tang Xu behind him, the two of them slightly offset from each other.

The person who came over wasn't very old, but since he could call Wei Dong "brother," Tang Xu guessed he might be a relative.

Wei Dong nodded at him. "Ah Wei."

"Where are you going, Brother Dong? My mother said you should come to our house. She's finished making the clothes for Brother Xi that you asked her to make." He and Wei Dong were cousins, three years apart. They had been playmates since childhood, but since Wei Dong's parents had passed away and he had cut ties with relatives, their relationship hadn't been as close as before.

His mother was a woman from another family and didn't get along well with Wei Dong's parents and siblings. She often murmured that Wei Dong was capable, even though he seemed to be having a hard time now. She believed he would definitely succeed in the future, and the relatives on Wei Dong's side would regret it sooner or later.

After hearing these words many times, the young man felt a bit resentful, and their relationship became less warm. For a couple of years, he even avoided Wei Dong whenever he saw him.

As they grew older and some things happened in their families, his thoughts changed, and their cousin relationship slowly improved, but it was never as close as it had been in childhood.

"Xu Ge'er!" Wu Weiming recognized Tang Xu standing behind Wei Dong and was surprised and delighted. "What are you doing here?"

Tang Xu looked puzzled. Who is this? Do I know him?

He searched his memory and confirmed that this was a stranger. With a polite smile, he said, "Hello, do we... know each other?"

He didn't understand why he was suddenly so recognizable. Besides, there should be quite a difference in appearance now from the last time he was with Wei Dong!

"You forgot?" Wu Weiming wasn't embarrassed that Tang Xu didn't remember him. On the contrary, he laughed heartily. "Before, when you were washing clothes by the river, your basin fell into the river, and I helped you fish it out!"

Tang Xu searched his memory again and remembered the incident. Indeed, Xu Ge'er was shy and timid by nature, so even though someone had helped him out a lot, he had just kept his head down and thanked them without daring to look at their face.

But this person could remember Xu Ge'er and recognize him now, so he must be observant.

“Thank you,” Tang Xu politely expressed his gratitude once again.

"I..." Wu Weiming wanted to introduce himself, but Wei Dong interrupted him.

"Ah Wei, I'll come to your house later," Wei Dong said, then directly grabbed Tang Xu's wrist. "Let's go."

Tang Xu: "Hmm," he glanced at Wu Weiming and said, "Goodbye."

Then he followed Wei Dong forward, his eyes glancing at the wrist that was being held.

Wei Dong's palm was wide, his fingers were long, his knuckles were large, and his nails were flat and very clean. His palm grasped most of the wrist, and his fingers were tightly interlocked in front.

Tang Xu felt his arm being pulled by him, and it was numb. He didn't have the mind to think about who that person named Ah Wei was just now. After all, there were many people with the surname Wei in the back village, just like there were many with the surname Tang in the front village.

He was even less concerned about the relationship between Wei Dong and that person named Ah Wei. His mind was filled with being held by the wrist. It seemed that Wei Dong was not as indifferent as he seemed. Despite not being good with words, Wei Dong's actions were still very proactive.

Wu Weiming watched them walk away before heading home. On the way, he couldn't help but wonder why his cousin and Tang Xu seemed so close.

He didn't think too much about why they were holding each other's wrists. Mainly because of Wei Dong's temper, which was truly unpleasant. Even girls who were interested in him were scared away by his tough and cold attitude. There were a few guys in the village who took a liking to him, but as soon as they found out that Wei Dong had a younger brother following him around, they immediately backed off.

As for the gesture of holding each other's wrists, he saw it as similar to patting someone on the shoulder. Perhaps holding wrists was more convenient. Either way, Wei Dong would let go not long after they walked away.

But why was Tang Xu in the back village? The distance between their houses wasn't far. He walked halfway and then turned back to Wei Dong's house. Since Wei Dong wasn't there at the moment, he could ask Wei Xi.

His curiosity was getting the best of him, and he couldn't stand not getting an answer. 

…

Wei Xi had eaten too much and couldn't lie still on the kang.

Hearing the sound of his brother and Tang Xu leaving, he sluggishly climbed off the kang, put on his shoes, wrapped himself in a thin coat, and then went out the door.

Slowly strolling around the courtyard, he remembered what Tang Xu had said, to walk slowly and not tire himself out. He walked for a while, then stopped to rest whenever he felt tired, and then continued walking. 

Then there was a knock on the courtyard door, and Wei Xi went to open it, asking somewhat surprisedly, "Brother Wei, why are you here? Did Auntie have something for you?"

Wu Weiming's mother was named Wei Zhonghong, the second eldest in the family with an older brother and three younger brothers. Wei Dong and his brother's father was the fourth eldest in the family, named Wei Zhongcheng.

She got married at fifteen and had four children, all sons. Wu Weiming was the third in the family.

Wu Weiming’s father, Wu Qiang, had always liked Wei Zhonghong since he was young. After marrying her, they had a very harmonious relationship, and all the children's names had to include her name.

Originally, the name Wu Weiming was supposed to be used for the eldest, but Wu's grandfather didn't agree, saying that the name of the eldest grandson should be chosen by him, and named him Wu Shouye, meaning he hoped he would be able to take care of the family business well, although there was nothing to take care of at the moment, but that was the meaning behind it.

Since the eldest couldn't use the name Wu Weiming, it didn't matter, they could use it when the second son was born.

As a result, when the second son was born, Wu Qiang, the father, was cheated while out earning money, and the family insisted that the child's name should have a meaningful reminder to the father to be honest and trustworthy in life, otherwise, he wouldn't achieve anything.

So they named him Wu Shouxin. At the time, Wu Qiang argued that it wasn't him who cheated others, but others cheated him, but his father didn't listen and insisted on that name.

Well, it's his own father, if he couldn't persuade him, he could only go along with it.

When it came to the third son, Wu Qiang insisted on choosing the name himself. It had to be Wu Weiming, and if they didn't let him choose the name, he would demand a separation! Why should the names of the two older sons be chosen by them, and they still wanted to take away the name of the third son? When his father heard this, he also said that he should be named Wu Shouwei.

But Wu Qiang insisted on Wu Weiming, saying that Shouwei sounded too busy when you heard it. He also said that if they had another son in the future, he would be named Wu Zhong.

After the fourth son was born, as expected, it was a son, but the name was chosen by Wei Zhonghong, and he was named Wu Hong.

Not to mention anything else, in the Wu family, if the name is not chosen well, it's easy to become a laughingstock. If they really named him Wu Zhong, he would be teased from childhood to adulthood.

…

Returning to the story, Wu Weiming stood outside the courtyard gate, looking at Wei Xi who opened the door for him, and noticed that the child's complexion seemed much better today than before. Without thinking much about it, he thought that it must be because he had been well-rested recently without any illness, so he looked in good spirits.

He said, "Brother Dong asked my mother to make clothes for you earlier, and they're ready. I came to call him to come over."

He didn't say why he didn't bring them over himself because his mother had something to say to Wei Dong. Being the eldest aunt among the Wei family relatives who had some connection with Wei Dong.

Wei Xi didn't think much about it, just nodded and said, "Then come in and wait for a while. My brother went to send Brother Xu home just now. They haven't been gone long."

Wu Weiming stepped into the courtyard gate. Every time he came here and saw this big house, he felt envious, but he didn't feel jealous. The main reason was that every brick and tile in this house was earned by Wei Dong's hard work.

When the family first split up, Wei Zhongcheng only got a piece of land and built a small house and a small courtyard. Later, the family encountered some difficulties, but Wei Dong remembered his father's promise to his mother, saying that in the future, he would earn a lot of money and build a big house for her, with a big courtyard and many rooms.

Even though his parents passed away, Wei Dong still wanted to fulfill this promise for his father.

In the past few years when this mansion was built, the people in the back village said he was crazy, and they were also very envious and jealous, but they had to come and help build the house. Wei Dong paid them on a daily basis.

Going off on a tangent, Wu Weiming didn't go inside. He stood there and asked, "What is Brother Xu coming to your house for?"

Wei Xi replied, "Oh, my brother invited him to help weave baskets. As a thank-you gift, my brother gave him some fish. There were too many fish, so my brother went to send him." 

Wei Xi didn't mention the details, such as Tang Xu bringing gifts for both of them or cooking delicious food for them. He didn't want to say these things to others because he was afraid that once they knew how good Brother Xu was, someone would try to compete with his brother.

Wu Weiming nodded and smiled at him, "Then I'll go to the village road to greet them. You should rest, don't catch a cold from the wind." Wei Xi nodded and watched him leave before closing the courtyard gate from the inside.

Wu Weiming went straight home, and as he entered, he saw his mother feeding the chickens in the yard, making clucking sounds and scattering grain on the ground.

The sandy yard looked quite shabby, and several hens ran over to peck at the food, raising clouds of dust as they moved around.

"Mother, why don't we buy some stone slabs to pave the ground here?" 

Wei Zhonghong glanced at him and scolded, "You look around the whole village. Except for Dongzi, who's willing to spend money on paving the road with stone slabs? You know nothing about our family's situation. Instead of talking about paving with stone slabs, why don't you dig into your own pockets and pay for it? All you know is to talk."

Wu Weiming rolled his eyes, dragged a small wooden stool over, and sat down, lifting his foot to show his mother the mud on his shoe sole. "Look, a little water on the ground and it turns into mud. It's so dirty when it gets tracked into the house. We don't have to pave the whole yard, just a pathway, and it won't cost much."

Wei Zhonghong grabbed a handful of grain and threw it at him, scolding him, "You don't care about those few ounces of silver. Why don't you go out and earn a few ounces first? You're so capable, but you can't even earn a couple of ounces. Even if I don't ask you for a few ounces, if you can earn back one ounce, I'll laugh myself awake from dreaming."

Wu Weiming felt discouraged, covering his face with his hands.

He did want to earn some silver, but he didn't know what else he could do besides farming.

With so many family members and so much land to tend to, they consumed a lot of food every year. After paying taxes on the crops grown in the fields, they sold the rest. However, even with this, the expenses of the large family had to be covered. Neither he nor his fourth brother had married, and his mother was always frugal with money.

Wu Weiming understood that his mother was doing it for their own good, but when he looked at their own shabby mud-brick house, the sandy yard, and the wooden fence surrounding it, and then thought about the grandeur of Wei Dong's household, with its brick and tile house, paved stone pathways in the yard, and even a big iron gate at the entrance, he couldn't help but feel disheartened.

Just the cost of the big iron gate alone at Wei Dong's place would be enough to build several of their own shabby houses.

Wu Weiming sighed in frustration.

Wu Weiming not only wanted to talk to his mother about paving the stone pathway, but also about his own marriage proposal. Wei Zhonghong understood her son well and frowned as she asked, "Didn’t you go to find Dongzi?"

"I did. I talked to him, but he's busy right now. He'll come over later." Wu Weiming thought for a moment, then couldn't hold back and decided to probe his mother about the marriage matter first.

Looking around and seeing that both of his sister-in-laws were not present, probably busy working in the fields, there were only the two of them in the house. "Mother, have you met Xu Ge'er from the neighboring village?"

Wei Zhonghong tilted her head, "Who?"

"Xu Ge'er, the one I mentioned to you before, the one I helped retrieve the basin for. Do you remember?" Wu Weiming stared at his mother.

Wei Zhonghong furrowed her brows, trying hard to recall. She remembered something like that, it seemed to have happened last year, but she didn't remember what Xu Ge'er looked like. It was likely that she hadn't met him.

The village was too big, with too many people, and she didn't often go to the neighboring village, so it was normal that she hadn't seen him.

Seeing the eager expression on her third son's face, Wei Zhonghong asked him, "Just say what you want to say. Why are you so worked up? Are you interested in someone?"

Wu Weiming blushed at her question and chuckled, "I've met him before. He's a good person, good-looking, has a pleasant voice, and is hardworking."

"How do you know he's good?" Wei Zhonghong felt like her son was bewitched by some enchantress, blinded by some illusion.

Normally, he didn't go to the neighboring village, he worked in the fields at home every day. How could he know whether someone from the neighboring village was good or not? And now he was listing off all these qualities, just because he helped retrieve a basin? How could you tell if someone was good just by looking at their basin?

Of course, these were just her inner thoughts. She couldn't directly refute him, after all, he was her son, and she had to give him some face.

"Anyway, he's good, and I'm getting older too. I should see if there's anyone suitable for me," Wu Weiming said with a serious face, but his words were far from serious.

Wei Zhonghong raised her hand to pat him on the head, "I told you earlier to find a wife, what did you say to me? You said you were still young and not in a hurry to marry. And now! You're staring at someone's ger. Have you no shame? How did I give birth to such a thing!"

Slapped on the head, Wu Weiming grimaced.

He was sixteen years old this year, at an age when he was full of ideas and ambitions. He wanted to do something big, make a lot of money, and then marry a beautiful wife. Now, making money had been moved to after marrying a beautiful wife, and the beautiful wife had been replaced with a beautiful ger.

Wu Weiming pretended to cry, whining to his mother, "Mother, have pity on me. You should go take a look, you'll definitely approve!" 

Wei Zhonghong rolled her eyes, "You can't even tell me what's good about this person. Why should I go see him?"

Wei Zhonghong was about to raise her hand to slap him again, but he dodged.

"Mother, please, I beg you, go ask," Wu Weiming's eyes lit up with an idea, and he said, "I just saw Brother Dong catching fish, I'll go catch one too. Let's have fish for dinner. You go buy some tofu from the neighboring village, then you'll get to see him, right?"

"What are you thinking? There's tofu for sale in the neighboring village too. Why should I go all the way there? Am I crazy?" Wei Zhonghong looked disgusted, but seeing her son acting like this, she was afraid he would make a fuss and ruin the family's reputation. If he started whining and making a scene, it wouldn't be good for the reputation of the other family.

"Forget it, I'll ask your cousin when he comes over," she meant that her nephew, even if he had a cold personality, knew a lot of people, so she wanted to ask him.

But when Wu Weiming heard this, he became even more excited. "No, no, you can't ask Brother Dong!"

"Why? Your cousin walks around the village all the time, what if he's seen him?" Wei Zhonghong looked at her son suspiciously, noticing his unnatural expression.

Narrowing her eyes, she raised her hand to slap him again, "What's going on with you?"

Wu Weiming realized he couldn't hide it anymore, so he had to tell his mother about Tang Xu going to his cousin's house to help with basket weaving, and he explained that his cousin catching fish was a way of reciprocating the favor. The more Wei Zhonghong listened, the more her brows furrowed.

"A young ger going alone to a man's house, how can that be a good thing?" 

"Why wouldn't it be a good thing? It shows kindness, seeing two brothers in need and lending a hand. Who says a young ger has to hide away at home? Besides, Wei Xi said Tang Xu is good, so what's wrong with helping out? I don't see any problem," Wu Weiming retorted. "And my cousin isn't the kind of person with bad intentions."

"I think you've been blinded by fat," Wei Zhonghong sighed, "Fine, I'll ask your cousin when he comes." Wu Weiming quickly reminded her, "But don't tell him I'm interested in him."

"I know, I know, now go do your work and stop bothering me," Wei Zhonghong shooed him away.

Tang Xu was still unaware that he was being talked about. At that moment, he was walking with Wei Dong on a wooden bridge, discovering for the first time that there was a bridge between the two villages.

When they crossed, many people saw them, but with Wei Dong's stern face, even the curious ones didn't dare to stare. After they passed, Tang Xu looked back and saw several elderly women gossiping and pointing at them.

Here it's worth mentioning that, for some reason, Wei Dong walked a few steps ahead, just like the first time they met, leading the way. Tang Xu understood immediately that this was to avoid gossip. Unfortunately, there was still gossip going around, but it had nothing to do with Wei Dong.

" Xu Ge'er, don’t worry too much."

"We all know what Aunt Wu has been up to. Don't worry, she won't dare to harm you again." 

"Yeah, can you believe how malicious she is? She'd do anything for money." 

"The village head knows about it and scolded her. I saw it just now."

"Erhu did nothing wrong this time. She deserved to be scolded. A widow like her should know to behave herself and not ruin the reputation of our village."

"Liu Xiangxiang is also foolish to believe her words. I bet she's involved with those shady places outside the village, tricking the pretty girls from our village to go out and do those things!"

" Xu Ge'er is just an innocent victim. With a money-grubbing mother and Aunt Wu's smooth tongue, it would be no surprise if he believed whatever they said." Tang Xu was forced to listen to gossip about himself, finally understanding what was going on. It turned out that last night, not only did his adoptive father return to the old house, he also went to the matchmaker's house and scolded her at her doorstep.

Adoptive father, how mighty!

Tang Xu glanced at Wei Dong, who was waiting for him not far ahead, and politely smiled at the gossiping aunties, "I'm fine, thank you for your concern. I have something to do at home, so I'll leave you to your chat."

Wei Dong saw him break away from the group and continue walking. It seemed like he knew where Tang Xu lived because even though the village road twisted and turned, he didn't take the wrong direction.

"I won't go with you," Wei Dong stood at the intersection and handed him the basket. "You can go back by yourself."

Tang Xu frowned, "Are you trying to avoid suspicion?"

"No," Wei Dong shook his head, "I'm worried about affecting you."

Tang Xu took the basket from him, pursed his lips, lowered his head, and hummed, "You think too much. If I were afraid of those things, would I still go to your house?" He said, then turned and walked away, his back showing his annoyance.

Wei Dong stood there watching him until he entered his house, then turned and walked back.

Feeling empty inside, uncomfortable, his face even colder than before.

Tang Xu, whom he thought was angry, turned around and his expression changed instantly. His lips curved upwards silently, laughing to himself.

He knew that Wei Dong wasn't a fool who lacked feelings. He was probably hesitant to have any expectations due to their family relationship. That's fine, thought Tang Xu, as long as he's not indifferent.

"Brother, you're finally back!" Tang Li heard the sound and came out of the house, seeing Tang Xu, she quickly approached and took the basket from his hand. Seeing that it was full of big fish, she exclaimed, "So many! Are these all from Wei Dong?"

"Yeah, I also picked some elm seeds and locust flowers. I'll make something delicious for you guys tonight," Tang Xu took off the basket from his shoulder and handed it to her, taking out a basket from inside, "You pour the elm seeds into the basin, then wash the basket and the fish basket and let them dry. I'll have to return them to Wei Dong later."

Tang Li nodded, curious about what was in the basket, "How do you eat this?"

"Steam it with cornmeal," Tang Xu poured the fish into the basin, they were already dead, so they needed to be cleaned up quickly, "You fill the basin with water and soak the fish first. I'll take two fish over to the old house, and spread these locust flowers on the curtain to dry, using the same curtain we use to dry mushrooms."

Tang Li nodded, "Got it, brother." 

Tang Xu tied the two fish with straw rope and asked her, "Where's Mom and Ah Yang?"

"Mom and Dad just left, they said they were going to the field together. Ah Yang is sleeping in the house, he was upset and restless when he didn't see you at lunchtime, and Dad scolded him. He hasn't eaten anything." Tang Li couldn't help but be curious and asked, "Brother, did Wei Dong say when he's coming with the betrothal gifts?"

Tang Xu was surprised, what nonsense?

How come his sister was starting to be so straightforward, just like Xiao Xi?

Moreover, they haven't even begun yet, how could they already be talking about betrothal gifts?

"Don't talk nonsense, it's not time yet," Tang Xu glared at her, "We still need to get to know each other better." Tang Li didn't understand and wanted to ask further.

Tang Xu waved his hand, "Go, get back to work. We'll talk later. I'll go and deliver the fish first."

"Okay," Tang Li suppressed her curiosity about gossip and watched her brother leave with two fish in hand.

…

At the old house, only the old lady and the eldest aunt were there; everyone else was working in the fields.

The new house was already built and would be ready to move in after a few days of airing out the dampness. Tang Wei and Tang Zu's engagement was set for the twenty-eighth day of the sixth lunar month, three months from now, which was an auspicious day for marriage.

"Grandma! Auntie! Is anyone home?" Tang Xu entered the courtyard and shouted.

The old lady was surprised to hear someone calling her "grandma" and went out to see that it was Tang Xu.

In her memory, Tang Xu had never spoken loudly before.

"Is it really you, Tang Xu?" Wu Guizhi squinted, afraid she might have mistaken the person.

Tang Xu smiled as he approached her, "Grandma, it's been a while. Didn't recognize me?"

"I almost didn't recognize you," Wu Guizhi nodded, holding his hand and looking him up and down. When she saw the two large fish he was carrying, she exclaimed, "Where did you get these fish? Did you go fishing?"

"No, I don't go near the river anymore, I'm too scared," Tang Xu handed over the fish as the eldest aunt approached. "These were caught by a friend. I helped him out, and he sent these as a gift in return."

His elder Aunt's eyes lit up, and she quickly went to the kitchen to put the fish in a basin. She wiped her hands on her apron and came out to ask him, "Which friend? Is it someone's son from around here?"

The old lady rolled her eyes at her and pulled Tang Xu into the house, saying, "Forget about that. Go on, let's make some sweet soup for  Xu Ge'er to cool down."

Tang Xu followed the old lady into the main room, where she pulled him to sit on the heated kang. "Tell me, did you get these fish from the person you've been eyeing?"

Tang Xu: "..."

Why were both of them so straightforward? Maybe he should just admit it!

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