The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 76

 

| TBBOTOF | 76

Granny Pan was actually not very satisfied with the four daughters-in-law who were about to enter the household. Or rather, she didn't want her sons to rush into finding wives right after they had earned some money.

Granny Pan felt very anxious and uneasy. Whether it was selfishness or timidity, ever since her four sons returned home with the money given by Wei Dong, bought land, and built houses, there had been a lot of commotion. Their biological parents had come looking for them several times.

Even Fourth brother Pan, who was once the least accepted by people, had people actively trying to approach him on the street.

Granny Pan has been unable to eat or sleep well lately, and it's not just because of the change in seasons. The main reason is her worry that her four sons won't be able to marry wives who can live a good life with them.

The old lady muttered, "Xu Ge'er is really considerate. If the wives you marry are half as good as him, it would be perfect."

Hearing this, Second brother Pan thought about how Tang Xu was at home and couldn't help but curl his lips slightly.

He's indeed handsome, but he's also lazy. He only cooks, and doesn't do anything else. It's better to marry someone hardworking.

Granny Pan didn't pay attention to him, happily carrying the small jars back to her own room.

Eldest brother Pan held the opened jar tightly, sniffing it eagerly and swallowing saliva. If Fourth brother Pan hadn't stopped him, he might have started drinking already.

Among the four brothers, the eldest loved alcohol the most but had the lowest tolerance. By now, after sniffing the jar for a while, his face was starting to redden.

Second brother Pan found this sorghum wine too spicy for his own taste. On the way back, he was feeling so drowsy while driving the cart. 

At lunchtime, he only had a small cup. If it were his usual drink, he could have had almost half a jar without feeling dizzy.

The sorghum wine brewed by Tang Xu had a high alcohol content, probably over fifty degrees. In contrast, the purest liquor sold in the town's small taverns, without dilution, was estimated to be around thirty-five to thirty-six degrees.

…

Speaking of which, that afternoon, Tang Xu and Wei Dong had woven quite a few straw mats in the backyard. 

In the evening, Tang Xu continued to distill the fermented mash, while Wei Dong volunteered to help him watch the water level. 

Meanwhile, Tang Xu helped Wei Xi repair the remaining trousers that hadn't been altered yet. He sat on the kang with his legs crossed, the oil lamp casting a dim light.

"Ah Xu, I'll go buy some candles tomorrow, as well as some cotton and charcoal." Wei Dong came in from outside, holding a small bowl with clear liquor inside.

He placed the small bowl on the kang table. "Give it a taste."

Tang Xu never liked drinking baijiu. Ice-cold beer could be refreshing in the scorching summer, but otherwise, he truly disliked alcohol. 

Especially after work, when he had to accompany his superiors for social gatherings, there were always those with ill intentions trying to force drinks on him. Though he managed to avoid them, he still felt repulsed.

Although the homemade sorghum liquor tasted fine with just a sip, Tang Xu knew that drinking such a large bowl would likely make him pass out. He licked a bit directly from the bowl, feeling the spicy sweetness with a lingering fragrance, which wasn't bad at all.

"Have you had some?" Tang Xu asked, noticing the slightly unclear gaze in Wei Dong's eyes. 

He couldn't help but twitch his lips. "I've told you to drink less alcohol; it's not good for your health. Why don't you listen?"

Wei Dong chuckled softly, his laughter seeming silly and different from his usual cool and composed demeanor. 

He reached out and pulled Tang Xu into a warm embrace, pressing his warm cheek against Tang Xu's neck, smelling of alcohol. "It's delicious, I couldn't resist. Don't bother sewing anymore; it strains your eyes. I'll buy more candles tomorrow."

As Wei Dong spoke, his hands began to wander.

Tang Xu felt his body go weak but didn't push him away.

…

The next morning, when Tang Xu woke up, Wei Dong was no longer by his side. Thinking that Wei Dong had left early to go into town to buy candles as he had mentioned, Tang Xu stepped out of the house and saw Wei Dong waving a hoe and tilling the soil in the yard. 

Tang Xu was a bit puzzled. "Didn't you say you were going into town?"

Wei Dong was momentarily confused by Tang Xu's question, then turned to him and asked, "When did I say that? What would I be going into town for?"

Tang Xu sighed internally. So, this guy must have been drunk last night, spouting nonsense! Not only that, but he even blacked out!

Wei Dong shook his hand, placed the hoe aside, and came over to drink some water. "What's wrong? Did I say I was going into town last night?"

"You said you were going to buy more candles, charcoal, and cotton," Tang Xu sighed, waving his hand. "Forget it, I'll go with you. Xiao Xi's medicine is running low, and it's better to buy it now while the weather is still good, so we don't have to worry about roads being difficult later."

Even though the family's mule-drawn cart ran steadily and quickly, Tang Xu still felt uneasy when it snowed.

Wei Dong nodded. "Let's go after breakfast, then."

In the village, when farmers have idle time, they usually have two meals a day. The first meal is typically around 9-11 am, and the second one is between 3-5 pm. 

However, Tang Xu's family maintains three meals a day. 

They never miss breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This routine is mainly due to having someone in the family who isn't well and another who has a big appetite. Without three meals a day, Wei Dong might go hungry.

With this in mind, Tang Xu casually asked, "Have you and Xiao Xi eaten?"

Wei Dong responded with an affirmative grunt and picked up the hoe to continue working. There were still some radishes left in the ground, along with a lot of withered vines and old roots. 

Later, he planned to throw them into the backyard to see if the goats and the mule would eat them. If not, they would dry them for firewood.

"Dig a hole, and after pulling out the radishes, we still need to bury them to preserve them. Otherwise, they won't last long. Even though storing them in the cellar can prolong their freshness, it won't be as good as burying them in the soil," Tang Xu advised.

Wei Dong responded with an acknowledgment, "Okay, got it."

Tang Xu headed to the kitchen, where there was a pot of mixed grain porridge and a bowl of pickled cucumbers left for him. However...

As he stepped out of the kitchen, he called out to Wei Dong, who was wielding the hoe in the courtyard, "Who made the scrambled eggs with pickled cucumbers?"

Wei Dong paused and pointed to himself.

That meant he made them.

Tang Xu's head was buzzing, and he didn't want to say a word. He turned around and went back to the kitchen.

He didn't even want to comment on the taste of the scrambled eggs with pickled cucumbers. The color alone made him feel suffocated.

Why would someone add soy sauce? Pickled cucumbers were already salty and sour; adding soy sauce would only make it saltier!

With trembling chopsticks, Tang Xu reluctantly picked up a bit of the brown-stained cooked egg. As he brought the chopsticks close to his mouth, the strong smell of the thick soy sauce mixed with the sour odor rushed into his nose.

He retched~

Tang Xu's stomach churned, and he spat out a mouthful.

He quickly set down the chopsticks, his face contorted in pain as he covered his mouth.

What on earth was this????

This seemed poisonous and harmful!

Could it be that he wanted to poison him?

Oh heavens, even though he wasn't the kindest person, please don't treat him like this!

Tang Xu patted his churning chest and pushed the bowl of scrambled eggs with pickled cucumbers away.

He was very puzzled.

In theory, pickled cucumbers shouldn't taste bad, and there was no way they could have such a foul smell. He was sure the pickled cucumbers he made hadn't gone bad.

So why did it smell so bad?

Tang Xu was baffled, but he didn't want to try another bite no matter what.

He took a small bowl and went to the room where he usually kept various grains, grabbed a jar of pickled bamboo shoots from the shelf, and scooped out some spicy bamboo shoots to eat with the porridge.

Halfway through eating, Wei Xi came in. He had run out of water in his room and had come to refill his kettle.

Seeing Tang Xu drinking porridge with a bowl in hand, Wei Xi's pupils constricted, and he shouted, "Brother, don't eat the pickled cucumbers!"

Tang Xu was startled and turned his head, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Why did he shout so loudly, scaring even the fat cat that had sneaked in to beg for food? The cat dashed out as quickly as it had come in, like a flash of lightning.

Wei Xi only felt something rush past his leg, hitting him and causing some pain. He lowered his head and saw a hint of orange tail tip.

Wei Xi turned back and pointed to the bowl that Tang Xu had pushed away, with a look of sorrow.

"My brother said he saw you frying cucumber and eggs last time. Since there were no fresh cucumbers at home, he used pickled cucumbers instead," he explained, exhaling heavily and pointing to his chest. "I, I forced myself to swallow it down. Brother, do you know, in all my life, it's the first time I've seen my brother leaving leftovers!"

Tang Xu burst out laughing, almost spraying out his food.

"How did he end up with leftovers?"

Wei Xi recalled, not sparing any face for his elder brother, saying, "He finds it troublesome to eat a mouthful of porridge, a mouthful of vegetables, and a mouthful of steamed buns, so he just scooped a big spoonful into the mixed grain porridge. 

Then he left half of that bowl of porridge and fed it to Fatty." He shrugged, "Our Fatty pig eats everything, doesn't mind how bad his cooking is, and it even finds it delicious."

Tang Xu laughed heartily, "What about you? How did you eat it?"

"I swallowed it down while holding my breath," Wei Xi said helplessly, "Brother, can you please persuade my brother not to cook in the future? I'd rather just eat steamed buns with thin porridge than endure eating dishes he randomly puts together like today!"

Tang Xu nodded as he laughed, his belly starting to ache a bit from the laughter. "Alright, got it, I'll definitely persuade him."

Wei Xi nodded and added hot water to his own flask, then threw in a handful of dried wolfberries. "Brother, do you want some? I'll make a pot for you too."

"Where did you get these wolfberries? They're quite big," Tang Xu said, popping two into his mouth and savoring their sweetness. "Make me a pot, add some red dates and hawthorn slices too. After soaking, we can take out the hawthorn slices and drink them separately."

Wei Xi nodded and went to the shelf to fetch some dried fruits. These were the ones he had preserved earlier.

After the fruit tea had steeped, Wei Xi brought over one pot and left, leaving Tang Xu to slowly enjoy his cup. His gaze casually swept over the bowl left on the table, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Honey~~~" Tang Xu leaned out, waving to Wei Dong who was diligently tending to the yard, a smile on his face. "I poured out that bowl of cucumber and scrambled eggs~"

Wei Dong nodded without any embarrassment. "Feed it to the pig."

Tang Xu chuckled and walked over to him, saying, "You shouldn't cook anymore. I've made so many pickles and sauces. If I don't get up to make breakfast, just scoop a bowl from the jar and eat."

Wei Dong: "Got it."

In the past, when Tang Xu wasn't around, he didn't have so many unrealistic ideas, like thinking he could make delicious dishes himself.

Originally, his husband's cucumber and egg stir-fry was very refreshing, with just a hint of salt, and it tasted great.

But when he tried to make it himself...

Well, let's just say even he didn't want to think about that taste. 

Tang Xu lightly patted Wei Dong's shoulder and said, "Tonight we'll have hot and sour soup, let's see if you like it."

Wei Dong nodded in agreement.

The recipe for hot and sour soup is actually quite simple, but it requires some skill when slicing the ingredients. 

These days, he had already made a small tool with bamboo strips to hold in his hand, and he had been craving hot and sour soup for a while.

Just thinking about it made his mouth water.

However, fearing that the two of them might not be accustomed to it, Tang Xu didn't dare to make too much at once. 

He first served each of them a small bowl. He held the bowl in his hands, savoring the smooth hot and sour soup with minced meat and diced fried green beans, feeling fully satisfied.

"Taste it. If you don't like it, you two can have steamed buns. Even with steamed buns, this side dish tastes great." Tang Xu gestured for them to try a bite.

Wei Xi sniffed at the slightly sour aroma coming from the small bowl of golden corn noodles and felt that it was quite different from the noodles he usually ate. Plus, he had never eaten hot and sour soup before.

Having trust in Tang Xu's cooking, Wei Xi followed Tang Xu's lead, taking a mouthful of soup with noodles and a mouthful of the side dish. 

The flavors exploded in his mouth, and he widened his eyes, looking at Tang Xu in astonishment. This taste was completely different from what he had imagined!

Tang Xu smiled and asked him, "How is it?"

"Delicious! It's smooth and a bit sour," Wei Xi replied.

Wei Dong also held his bowl and ate silently.

Tang Xu turned to him and asked, "What do you think? Do you like it?"

Wei Dong nodded, then shook his head, "It's okay, not dislikeable, but I can't say I like it either." 

It seemed like he wasn't particularly fond of foods with unusual flavors like this. 

Tang Xu had noticed this before when Wei Dong ate the amaranth he had prepared; he could tolerate sour and spicy flavors but didn't seem to enjoy them very much, whereas he liked salty and spicy foods and enjoyed them a lot.

So, the conclusion was that the men in his family didn't particularly like sour flavors. Perhaps even Wei Dong himself wasn't entirely clear about his own taste preferences until now, when he realized the variety of flavors he was exposed to.

Tang Xu made a mental note of this and got up to fetch some roasted steamed buns for him from the kitchen. The surface was golden and crisp, yet the inside remained soft. He split it open, filled it with the side dish he had prepared, and took a bite. It was incredibly delicious.

Wei Dong liked to eat steamed buns and rice. These two items could fill his stomach without leaving him hungry. He also enjoyed dumplings and buns, especially meat-filled ones, which he particularly loved.

As for noodles, Wei Dong felt they were a bit bothersome to eat and might tire out his husband.

On the other hand, Wei Dong held the roasted buns filled with side dishes made by his husband. After taking two big bites, he drank a mouthful of the hot and sour soup, surprisingly finding the taste quite enjoyable.

Lunch was satisfying for everyone. As usual, Tang Xu didn't wash the dishes. He took the pants that he had already patched up for Wei Xi and headed to the small study room next to the east wing.

Wei Xi was busy studying. He read quickly and had a good memory. Old Wei, the scholar, had approached Wei Dong, urging him to ensure Wei Xi's diligent studying, saying that if Wei Xi could persist in his studies, he would definitely have a bright future.

Wei Dong didn't care much about whether his younger brother would achieve great success. He supported Wei Xi in his pursuit of education and encouraged him to take the imperial examinations if he wished. As long as Wei Xi ensured his health was fine, Wei Dong wouldn't interfere.

They had planned to go to town after lunch, but Tang Xu started feeling drowsy again after eating and ended up taking a nap. When he woke up, the sun had already set.

"I seem to be sleeping a lot lately," Tang Xu yawned, leaning against the wall and looking at the man outside who had almost finished turning over all the soil in the courtyard. He was truly hardworking.

As November rolled in, Tang Xu often felt tired. Could it be because he hadn't fully recovered from his last illness?

With this thought in mind, he couldn't sit still.

"Dong ge~~ Let's take Xiao Xi to town!" he called out.

Wei Dong stopped his work, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and replied, "Alright, you get ready, I'll go harness the cart."

Tang Xu got off the kang, put on his cotton shoes, and went out to fetch the basket. Then he went to call Wei Xi.

"We were supposed to go in the morning, but I forgot," Tang Xu sighed. "Let's both go to Huichun Hall and see what's going on. This constant drowsiness isn't a good sign."

With Wei Xi's agreement and concern, he nodded in acknowledgment. "Yeah, let Dr. Xu take a look. I feel like your complexion hasn't been great lately."

Tang Xu raised his hand to touch his own face. Poor complexion? Besides feeling a bit sleepy, he didn't feel any other discomfort.

But getting a check-up wouldn't hurt, at least it would ease their minds.

Ease their minds?

That wasn't possible.

Tang Xu was completely confused when Dr. Xu said that he was pregnant. 

Not only Tang Xu, but Wei Dong and Wei Xi were also stunned.

Even though Wei Xi was young, he still understood what it meant to be pregnant. His brother-in-law was having a baby!

Dr. Xu furrowed his brows as he felt Tang Xu's pulse. His expression was grim, with a knot forming between his brows. He looked displeased. "Why did you drink medicine without consulting anyone? What if there was something harmful to the baby in it?"

Tang Xu felt like his head was about to explode from being scolded. He wiped his face with his hand and moved his body away from Dr. Xu, feeling very disgusted.

"Dong ge was afraid I'd burn to death. Should he have just let me suffer?" Tang Xu touched his belly but felt nothing. "Am I feeling sleepy all the time just because I'm pregnant?"

Dr. Xu glared at Wei Dong fiercely. "What medicine did you give him?"

"The fever-reducing soup medicine you prescribed for Wei Xi," Wei Dong walked over to Tang Xu's side and hugged him. "Is his body condition suitable for pregnancy? It won't harm him, right?"

Tang Xu was taken aback, looking at the man with surprise. He had thought the man was looking forward to having a child of their own, but he didn't expect him to ask about this matter.

Dr. Xu snorted. "Everything's fine. Now that he's pregnant, do you want him to take medicine to induce a miscarriage? Miscarriage is more harmful to the body," he withdrew his hand, picked up the teacup beside him, took a sip, cleared his throat, and continued, "The medicine I prescribed for Xiao Xi is gentle in nature and can be taken even during pregnancy. Your drowsiness is just due to lack of rest."

Tang Xu cleared his throat softly. "Oh."

Dr. Xu glared at Wei Dong again. "You got it? Let him rest more and sleep more. Stop bothering him all the time!"

These words didn't need to be said too bluntly; all three adults present understood their implications.

Wei Xi seemed to grasp the gist of it. Dr. Xu had said a lot, but he only remembered one thing: to let his brother-in-law rest more.

Since Tang Xu had taken a lot of soup medicine recently, Dr. Xu prescribed some tonic medicine for him to take at home. 

He instructed Tang Xu to brew and drink it, and to come back next month for a check-up. As for other matters, they would discuss them after the next examination.

Tang Xu nodded in agreement. When he and Wei Dong left Huichun Hall, there were many medicine packets in the basket, almost as many as when he had previously been adjusting his body.

Their trip to town was initially intended to get medicine for Wei Xi, but it turned out to be such a big surprise.

As Tang Xu boarded the cart and looked down at his flat stomach, he stared at it for a while before finally realizing the situation. 

He touched his belly through his coat for a while before quickly retracting his hand, clicking his tongue in surprise.

The inability to control one's emotions can be quite overwhelming indeed.

Wei Xi happily scooted closer to Tang Xu, but Wei Dong, who heard the movement, turned his head and gave him a stern look.

Feeling a bit wronged, Wei Xi pouted and moved back a bit. "Brother-in-law, can I touch it?" He pointed at Tang Xu's belly.

Before Tang Xu could respond, Wei Dong coldly said, "No."

Wei Xi clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. "Why not? I just want to get close to my nephew."

Tang Xu smiled and said, "It's not too late to get close to him after he's born. As Xiao Xi grows up, you shouldn't get too close to me."

Even though Wei Xi was still a young boy, he was also a developing male. Tang Xu didn't want to have too much influence on him, so he suggested that their relationship shouldn't be too intimate in the future.

Wei Xi didn't understand, so Tang Xu explained a bit more until he nodded in understanding.

"Let's go to my father's house. We need to tell them about this." 

They hadn't seen Tang Li and Tang Yang for almost half a month because they had been busy stocking up on winter vegetables.

Wei Dong shook his head. "It's said that the first three months of pregnancy are unstable. We should wait until after three months before announcing it to others.”

Tang Xu blinked, thinking to himself that he didn't know there was such a rule. After all, this was his first time being pregnant.

Wei Dong had just heard Dr. Xu mention many things that pregnant spouses should pay attention to, from diet and drinks to emotional changes. He remembered everything he could.

Now, as they rushed to the cart, he held the paper filled with words and began buying things according to Dr. Xu's instructions.

Actually, there wasn't much to buy, considering it had only been a month since Tang Xu found out about the pregnancy. Besides ensuring good food and drinks, those aspects regarding emotions could only be managed by Tang Xu himself.

Tang Xu felt Wei Dong was overreacting a bit, but seeing him bustling around for his sake filled him with happiness.

When they arrived, they only had one basket with them. But on their way back, they carried numerous large and small packages, including plenty of food and also purchased a lot of cotton and fabric. They also bought charcoal, which would be sent to their home by the merchant.

Tang Xu had originally wanted to say they didn't need to buy so much charcoal since they had firewood at home.

But Wei Dong insisted, saying that the wood at home didn't burn well and that this charcoal was better because it produced less smoke when burned.

Tang Xu didn't argue with him. After all, this man was set in his ways and didn't easily change his mind.

By the time they returned home, it was almost 8 o'clock in the evening. They had already eaten dinner in town. When they got back, Tang Xu didn't even take a bath. 

Wei Dong had already brought hot water for him to soak his feet by the kang.

As he washed his feet and sat by the kang, Tang Xu let out a big sigh.

"So tired~~~"

Wei Dong opened the door and entered with a chill in the air, carrying a bowl in his hand. He handed it to Tang Xu. "Drink up. After you finish, get a good night's sleep. If there's anything to do tomorrow, let me handle it. You just lie on the kang and rest. You mustn't overwork yourself."

After finishing the medicinal soup, Tang Xu wiped his mouth and then rolled his eyes at Wei Dong. "Did you forget what the doctor said? He told me to exercise appropriately, not to lie or sit down all the time. It's not good for both me and the baby."

Tang Xu retorted.

Wei Dong unfolded the paper, glanced over it, and nodded. "Alright, then tomorrow you'll just stroll around the yard. I'll handle everything else!"

"I'll cook, and you can do the rest," Tang Xu raised his hand and pointed at himself. "I'll handle cooking; that's safe."

Wei Dong knew he was speaking the truth and nodded in agreement. Deal!

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