The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 74

 

| TBBOTOF | 74

It's said that when illness strikes, it's like a collapsing mountain. Tang Xu was indeed down with illness, but as he recovered, he regained his strength. He even had the energy to take off the quilt cover on the kang that he had been using, and washed it, along with the clothes he had accumulated for a few days.

When Wei Dong woke up, he saw a row of wet clothes hanging on the clothesline in the yard.

It's fortunate that the temperature isn't too low; otherwise, all these clothes would stiffen from the cold.

Wei Xi carried a small basin out of the kitchen, with millet, some chopped white radish, and other green leafy vegetables inside. These were to be taken to the backyard to feed the chickens, ducks, and geese.

"Brother." Seeing Wei Dong, Wei Xi smiled warmly and greeted him before passing by him."

Wei Dong glanced at the kitchen, where smoke was billowing from the chimney. He sniffed and turned to go to the backyard to wash his face with well water, which was pleasantly cool but not icy.

Tang Xu was cooking dinner in the kitchen. He hadn't eaten much in the past few days, feeling like his stomach lacked oil and water, he craved meat badly.

He wasn't the only one craving; the other two people in the house were also craving.

So Tang Xu slaughtered a chicken and took out two large chunks of pork belly from the ice cellar.

It's worth mentioning this ice cellar, storing the fresh vegetables in the cellar would freeze them, affecting the taste. Tang Xu had Wei Dong dig a spot next to the cellar specifically for use as an ice cellar. Inside, besides ice blocks, there were various frozen meats. Tang Xu had piled quite a few things in there.

The people who came to dig the cellar probably never expected that Wei Dong could learn this skill. Indeed, under Tang Xu's guidance, they almost wished they could dig out more space beneath their house.

As the weather turned colder, the underground ice cellar seemed less necessary, but Tang Xu still liked it.

Anyway, after getting the pork belly, he planned to make red-braised pork with preserved vegetables. He had dried quite a few preserved vegetables earlier, and they were soaking now.

Since there was still plenty of time, he took it slowly, preparing a hearty dinner to celebrate his recovery.

Tang Xu hummed as he worked, feeling the heat from the pigskin in his hands.

When Wei Dong came in, Tang Xu had already cut the pork belly into large pieces and placed them in the braising broth. He was sitting on a small wooden stool plucking chicken feathers.

He put the plucked feathers into a basket, planning to wash and dry them later to make a chicken feather duster.

"Feeling better?" Wei Dong walked over, reaching out to feel Tang Xu's forehead. "Don't overexert yourself. Just eat something light, and take it easy."

Tang Xu shook his head and handed him the chicken that still had feathers on it. "Help me pluck the feathers. I'll go soak some wood ear mushrooms and make a cold dish later."

Wei Dong nodded and sat down to help.

Tang Xu grabbed a handful of dried wood ear mushrooms and soaked them in hot water. He also took out plenty of dried shiitake mushrooms and soaked them in another small basin. Placing the two basins on the stove, he then went to peel potatoes.

Wei Dong cleaned the chicken, ensuring even the smallest feathers were burned away with fire. Then, he carried the chicken to the well to wash it, and he even found a freshly formed egg inside its belly.

Normally, if he wanted to eat a chicken raised by himself, he would have to persuade his husband for quite some time. Today, his husband voluntarily caught and killed the chicken. It was evident that these past few days of illness had really made him realize the importance of good nutrition.

Wei Dong was happy to have chicken to eat. He busied himself with various tasks, cutting and washing, without Tang Xu needing to intervene much.

"I'm not tired," Tang Xu propped his chin on his hand, watching his husband cut potatoes, sounding somewhat helpless. "I'll handle the cooking later. I don't trust your cooking."

Wei Dong nodded. "Understood."

He was well aware of his own cooking skills. He couldn't blame anyone else for his brother's weight loss; it was all due to his poor cooking.

Fortunately, as the saying goes, as long as one is alive, everything will be fine.

Wei Dong had always taken care of his brother this way. As long as he was alive and not sick, that was good enough; he didn't expect too much.

After all, being the head of the household, providing for the family was not easy.

Tang Xu yawned, sighed at how handsome his husband looked, then said, "I want to redo the grass nests and sheds in the backyard before the heavy snow comes. I want to build windbreaks for the donkey and goats, and ideally surround the mule's current shed with grass mats to keep it warm. We can also tie up the goats there to prevent them from freezing to death."

Wei Dong nodded. "Alright."

"Also, tomorrow, could you buy more soy pulp cakes? I think the price of soy pulp cakes from their farm will go up next year." Since he started raising pigs, they had been consuming more soy pulp cakes. The pigs especially loved the smell of soy pulp cakes after the oil was pressed out.

"Sure, I'll go buy them early tomorrow. Should I store them in the cellar when I bring them back?"

"Put them in the cold storage. That stuff won't spoil even if it freezes; we can cook it and feed it to the animals later," Tang Xu thought it necessary to prepare enough food for the livestock for the whole winter. They couldn't risk leaving them hungry if they were snowed in.

"Oh, and one more thing," Tang Xu suddenly sat up straight, causing Wei Dong to turn towards him. "What is it?" he asked.

Tang Xu smiled slyly, "I'm planning to clean the house thoroughly inside and out when I have some free time soon. I'll rearrange a lot of things. Do you want to help?"

Though it was a question, his tone made it clear that he expected help. ‘If you dare not help, you'll be sleeping in the woodshed!’

Wei Dong nodded. "Anything else?"

"With the snow coming and temperatures dropping, we need to harvest the cabbage and radishes from the field, and pickle what needs to be pickled. There's still a lot to do. Oh, and I need to render the beef tallow! Wait, where's my beef tallow? I haven't rendered it yet!"

Tang Xu suddenly remembered that he hadn't rendered the beef tallow before falling ill. He needed it to make beef tallow hot pot base.

Wei Dong was startled by his sudden movement, and he quickly stopped him as Tang Xu lifted his foot to leave. "The beef tallow is in the cold storage, frozen but not spoiled. It's all safe and sound," he reassured him.

Tang Xu felt relieved. "If I have time tomorrow, I'll render the base. I'll freeze it into blocks, so when we want to eat, we can just take one block and cook it in water. It'll definitely taste amazing."

Wei Dong nodded in acknowledgment, though he didn't really believe the base would be that delicious.

He still preferred the tomato, potato, and beef brisket stew. Its flavor was unmatched.

He thought it would be wonderful to have another meal like that someday. It seemed like there was still plenty of beef in the ice cellar, not all of it turned into dried beef yet. He considered asking Tang Xu to make another meal with it.

Meanwhile, Tang Xu kept chattering on, "I'm thinking that since it's getting colder, maybe we can make some bean-filled dumplings in advance. And the corn kernels we soaked earlier should be ready soon; we need to wash and grind them for flour. Let's do that tomorrow and have sour soup for lunch, then work on weaving straw mats in the afternoon."

After he finished speaking, he turned to look at Wei Dong, but the man was staring at him blankly, offering no response.

Tang Xu gave him a playful slap. "What are you daydreaming about? Your eyes are practically bulging out."

"I'm thinking about the braised beef," Wei Dong replied, setting down the kitchen knife. "The meat was so fragrant that day; I feel like going out to catch a wild buffalo again."

Upon hearing this, Tang Xu quickly waved his hand. "No way. We have enough meat to last us a long time, and besides, you said it's quite dangerous in the mountains now. Encountering a herd of wild buffalo is unpredictable. If you want to eat, I'll cook it for you. Oh, by the way, did you finish preparing the hot pot ingredients I asked you to get?"

Wei Dong remembered just then and nodded. "They should be ready. I haven't been there the past couple of days. I'll go check after dinner."

Tang Xu, feeling a bit reluctant to let him go, thought to himself that it didn't matter much since the hot pot base hadn't been made yet. Delaying the return of the pot for a couple more days wouldn't hurt.

Another hearty dinner left the Wei brothers feeling comfortably full. Tang Xu couldn't understand these two; he looked at Wei Xi with a serious expression and said, "Stop overeating and making yourself uncomfortable. Eating smaller, more frequent meals is better for your health."

Wei Xi wiped his mouth, feeling a bit embarrassed, and nodded. "Got it, Brother-in-law. I'll pay attention next time. It's just that the food is so delicious; I didn't realize I was eating too much."

Since the weather turned cooler, he had noticeably increased his appetite. Recently, he felt like he couldn't get enough food, eating nearly three times his usual amount in one meal.

Wei Dong remarked, "He's starting to grow taller, so it's normal for him to eat more. I used to have a huge appetite at his age."

With that said, he gestured for Wei Xi to stand up.

Wei Xi rose to his feet, his teenage posture straight and his long legs visible even in thin cotton pants. Despite his slender frame, his facial features were deep-set and strikingly handsome, resembling his older brother. He had a high nose bridge and full lips, which were the most noticeable difference from Wei Dong. His lips were slightly thicker, and combined with his gently arched eyebrows, softened his overall appearance.

Wei Dong, on the other hand, was the opposite. Despite being only ten years old back then, he often wore a stern expression, giving off the impression that he was owed money by everyone. It seemed like a waste of his handsome face. Furthermore, his lips were slightly thin, and paired with his sharp eyebrows, his face gave off an intimidating vibe.

The two brothers looked alike yet different. Wei Xi's softer features made him seem approachable, while Wei Dong... well, let's just say he could be intimidating to look at.

Wei Xi's height had indeed been skyrocketing recently. Originally, when he stood straight, he only reached Tang Xu's chest, despite being almost ten years old. He was about 1.4 meters tall, but just to put things in perspective, Tang Yang was already over 1.4 meters tall at six years old.

However, in recent times, Wei Xi's growth spurt had been exceptionally fast, and he had shot up to around 1.55 meters. Considering Tang Xu's height of over 1.7 meters, it wouldn't be long before the young boy surpassed him.

Sitting on a small wooden stool, Tang Xu tilted his head back to look up at Wei Xi. Then he glanced down at his pants, which were now a bit too short, and chuckled, "You've grown quite a bit. The pants I made for you before are too short now."

Wei Xi blushed and hurriedly pulled down his pants, trying to make his ankles less exposed. "I didn't expect to grow this much."

"In that case, after you finish your classes these next few days, gather all the clothes that have become too short, and I'll alter them for you," Tang Xu suggested. 

Seeing Wei Xi shaking his head in response, he asked, puzzled, "What's wrong? You don’t want to wear patched clothes?"

As he thought about it carefully, he realized that Wei Xi's clothes indeed had very few patches, while Wei Dong's clothes often had patches where fabric had been sewn together. He then glanced down at the thin coat he was wearing, noticing small patches near the elbows and cuffs, though they weren't very prominent.

Wei Xi shook his head. "No, that's not it. I don't mind wearing patched clothes. I meant to say that recently, Master said the weather is getting colder and the roads are slippery. His son is worried about him slipping and falling, so he asked if he could pause our lessons for now and resume teaching in the spring when it's warmer."

Tang Xu nodded in understanding. "Ah, I see. You mean you're not attending classes now. In that case, gather your clothes tomorrow, and I'll take apart the old ones, patch them up, and make a thick door curtain."

He then turned to Wei Dong. "Should we buy fabric to make new clothes?"

"Um, for the New Year." Despite the New Year being two months away, Wei Dong was already planning to have new clothes made for his husband, perhaps even making a couple of extra sets.

Tang Xu thought it over and agreed, saying, "That sounds like a good idea. Let's all make two new sets of clothes, and I'll also make some alterations to the old ones." 

They were just ordinary villagers in the village, not a wealthy family. If they were to flaunt their wealth by wearing flashy clothes every day, it would surely attract unwanted attention.

In other words, they preferred to keep their wealth low-key. Even though many villagers now suspected that Wei Dong's family was wealthier than they had previously thought, they didn't believe they were extremely wealthy.

After all, Wei Dong personally caught meat in the mountains and raised so many chickens and ducks. It was clear that they did these things to save money. Even though they didn't sell the eggs, they could still eat them to nourish their bodies, which was much cheaper than buying tonics and medicine.

Moreover, their clothing was plain and simple, just like what other villagers wore. They had no desire to dress as extravagantly as the wealthy people in the town.

In fact, Tang Xu had long considered this matter. He could tell from his husband quietly renting out land to become a big landlord that Wei Dong was the type to quietly amass wealth.

Keeping a low profile was the best protection. Otherwise, there might be people willing to take risks and break in to steal. Whether they could succeed in stealing was another matter, but the mere presence of a stranger breaking in would be terrifying.

Speaking of which, Tang Xu turned to Wei Xi and said, "Although our family's conditions are considered good in the village, when you're out, if anyone asks about our money, just say you don't know or that we're currently self-sufficient by farming and saving money by not buying groceries outside, remember okay?"

Wei Xi nodded and chuckled. "Brother, I'm not a child anymore. I understand why."

Tang Xu smiled with relief, forgetting that Wei Xi was the one who understood human nature the best.

After washing the dishes, Tang Xu took a hot bath. He had been feeling sticky these past few days, and it was uncomfortable not to bathe.

When he returned to the room after his bath, Wei Dong had already spread the quilt on the kang. It was a bright red wedding quilt, made by Liu Xiangxiang. Although the fabric wasn't the best, it looked festive with two large flowers embroidered on it.

Tang Xu tilted his head and looked at it for a while, but he couldn't recognize what kind of flowers they were.

He chuckled lightly and said, "I didn't expect her to make a wedding quilt for us. This quilt is just the right thickness; it's not too warm when covered."

"After a while, it's going to get cold. I bought a lot of cotton. Do you think we should make one large quilt or two smaller ones?" 

This was his way of asking if they wanted to sleep together under one quilt or separately under two.

Tang Xu couldn't miss the implication in his words. He grinned and winked at him, saying, "Let's make two then."

Wei Dong's expression changed in an instant. He grabbed Tang Xu and pressed him onto the quilt, asking coldly, "Should we make a large one or two small ones?"

"Hahaha, don't tickle me!" Tang Xu laughed, struggling against him.

Wei Dong squeezed his waist on both sides, pinching him.

Tang Xu giggled and squirmed, trying to shake off his hands.

But Wei Dong's grip was firm, like a pair of pliers, holding him tightly.

"Hahaha, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I was wrong! You got me! Hahaha! I'm really sorry! Let's make one large quilt, a super large one! Hahaha!" Tang Xu laughed until tears streamed down his face, laughing, shouting, and begging for mercy all at once.

What a couple, huh? They would laugh and play, then roll around together.

In the warm and cozy quilt, it was perfect for some pre-sleep exercise.

…

The next day, Tang Xu got up normally and expressed his approval to Wei Dong. If they kept up with this level of activity, they could do it more often. After all, it was truly enjoyable, both physically and mentally.

Wei Dong also thought the suggestion was a good one and nodded in agreement.

After getting off the kang and freshening up, Tang Xu changed into his old jacket and thin cotton pants. He glanced at Wei Dong, who was still wearing his short sleeves, and frowned. "Aren't you cold?"

Wei Dong didn't say anything. Instead, he placed his hand on Tang Xu's back and squeezed gently, letting him feel his warmth.

Tang Xu pursed his lips, feeling envious.

His Husband has a terrifyingly high body temperature. Perhaps when the snow falls, while they are snug on the heated kang, this individual can still work outside with just thin cotton clothes, fetching water and chopping wood, likely generating enough body heat.

"Didn't the  old doctor say I'm completely healed? So why am I still so sensitive to the cold?" 

Tang Xu muttered to himself as he stepped out of the house, only to see Wei Xi coming out as well, wrapped in a jacket.

"Xiao Xi, bring me your pants. I'll alter one to fit your height better," Tang Xu beckoned, motioning for him to hand over the pants.

Tang Xu's sewing skills were learned from his mother and grandmother. Although his stitches were a bit rough, the results of his repairs were still satisfactory.

Using a lighter-colored pair of pants as patches, he cut out two pieces and began sewing them together.

"You look like a mother, Brother-in-law~," Wei Xi held up his face in his hands, watching him sew with a slightly absent-minded expression.

"Do you think about her?" 

Tang Xu thought of his mother's departure and how lost he felt at the time. Even though he had prepared himself mentally, it still took a long time to overcome. Later, when he stayed home to livestream, he hardly went out. To be honest, coming here was actually very good for him.

He had thought too much. His needle went up and down through the fabric as he glanced sideways at Wei Xi.

The child shook his head, feeling somewhat disappointed.

"I haven't thought about it, but sometimes I do miss my dad." Wei Xi went to fetch two glasses of water and handed one to Tang Xu. "If you and my brother have children in the future, I'm sure he'll be a very gentle and loving father."

Tang Xu sprayed water everywhere, coughing for a long time before his nasal passages finally eased the soreness.

Wei Xi was startled and hurried to get him a cloth. "Brother-in-law, why are you so excited? Are you also looking forward to having a baby?"

Tang Xu wiped his mouth and nose, then wiped his collar helplessly, looking at him. "Do you want to be an uncle so badly?"

Wei Xi nodded eagerly, his eyes gleaming as he peered at Tang Xu's stomach. "Auntie said if you and my brother have a good relationship, you'll have a baby soon!"

Tang Xu's mouth twitched, thinking to himself that Wei Zhonghong really talked about everything with a child!

Wei Xi eagerly awaited Tang Xu's response.

Tang Xu lowered his head to continue sewing. "Let's just let things happen naturally. Having a baby isn't something you can decide just because you want to. As a child, you shouldn't worry about these things. Go back to your room and practice writing."

Wei Xi pouted. "Okay."

Tang Xu handed him the sewn pants and gestured for him to take off the ones he was wearing. Wei Xi stood up, hugged the pants, and walked out, his ears turning red.

Tang Xu didn't immediately realize why he ran out until he noticed his red ears. ‘Oh, he's shy.’

After a while, Wei Xi came back wearing the new pants. He showed them to Tang Xu. "Brother, these fit perfectly. Thank you."

Tang Xu was quite satisfied too. He took another pair of pants and continued sewing. He planned to stitch two pairs first so they could be alternated, and leave the rest for later.

Wei Dong was chopping wood in the yard. Tang Xu mentioned that it would take a long time to render the oil, so he asked him to chop some large pieces of wood that would burn longer.

The clanging sound of chopping wood drowned out the knocking at the door until the person outside called out to him. Wei Dong stopped his hands.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Dong ge! Lao Er!" Second brother Pan, replied from outside. 

Wei Dong went to pull open the courtyard gate. Pan the eldest and Pan the fourth brother stood outside, with a mule cart behind them.

Thanks to Wei Dong's influence, the four brothers also got married. After all, with money in hand, they could buy land and build new houses. 

People weren't foolish, they knew that the four brothers had money. It was only after asking that they found out they had made a fortune hunting in the mountains with Wei Dong. No one knew the exact amount, but judging by their demeanor alone, it was definitely not a small sum.

So the matchmaker visited, but Granny Pan didn't say much, only that as long as they were happy with their choices, it was fine.

"Except for me, they all married girls from the town. My wife is from Xiaohe Village, I chose her myself." Pan, the fourth brother explained as he unloaded a sack from the cart for Wei Dong, "We're here to deliver some grain, and also to invite you, your husband, and your brothers to come over there for a feast."

Wei Dong nodded and told them to unload the stuff themselves before going back to chopping wood.

It had been a while since the brothers visited, and they were amazed by the changes in the courtyard. Just the sight of the corridor made them exclaim, "This corridor is great! It won't get wet in the rain. Let's build one when we get back."

After Pan the second brother spoke, his four brothers shook their heads, "We don't have such a big courtyard over there. If you build a corridor, the sunlight won't even come in, and Mother still needs to tend the fields."

Pan the second brother sighed with some regret, "You're right. Let's save up and buy more land in the future. Then we can build a bigger courtyard."

Although they had a fair amount of money this time, they were equally aware that their mother would never agree to them spending recklessly on building a big house. Instead, she would want them to live a stable life.

The four brothers were filial, and they listened to their mother's words. As for other matters, they could plan slowly.

Wei Dong was puzzled seeing them unload so many sacks. "Did you have a good harvest this year? Why are you bringing so many soybeans?"

"We harvested several kinds of beans, and soybeans are the most abundant," Pan the fourth brother replied as he set down the last sack, looking around. "Should we leave them here or take them to the granary?"

Tang Xu came out of the house, smiled at the Pan brothers, and greeted them, "Second brother Pan, Fourth brother, you're here. It's fine to leave these here. Later, I'll have Wei Dong move them in, we plan to tidy up the room next to the granary."

Pan the fourth brother quickly responded, "We'll help tidy up. We're capable of working."

Tang Xu chuckled and didn't argue with him. He glanced at Wei Dong and said, "Then you can help them tidy up. I'll go prepare some food for you all. Let's have a warm meal for lunch."

Wei Dong nodded, "Sure, is this firewood enough, or should I chop more?"

"It's enough, it's enough. You guys get busy, I'll go prepare," Tang Xu entered the kitchen, grabbed a wooden basin, and headed straight to the cellar.

He had witnessed the brothers' appetites before; they could eat as much as Wei Dong. For this lunch, he needed to prepare more.

Actually, he had a hint of doubt: were all of Wei Dong's friends big eaters?

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