The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 94

 

| TBBOTOF | 94

In Tang Erhu's courtyard, there was a lively and noisy crowd. People were packed quite closely together, though not exactly shoulder to shoulder

Tang Li and Tang Rui placed the various small items they had dug up into the woodshed, piling them in a corner.

Seeing the muddy ground everywhere, not to mention how Tang Li felt, even Tang Rui was very uncomfortable.

"There’s nothing much left. Let's find someone to rebuild the house after the New Year," Luo Pingping said, pulling Tang Li over and wiping the mud off her face with a handkerchief. "Come home with me and wash up."

"Didn't Uncle say my brother asked me to help with the cooking? Auntie, I can help you cook. The stove at home is still usable," Tang Li said as she led Luo Pingping towards the kitchen.

Luo Pingping nodded and followed her into the kitchen. As soon as they entered, they saw several large bamboo baskets in the corner, filled with all sorts of good things.

Frozen dumplings, frozen buns, frozen meat, and dried vegetables—everything was there.

"What’s there to cook? Just boil a pot of dumpling soup. Everyone can have a hot bowl, and no one will have anything to say," Luo Pingping said, eyeing the dumplings shaped like little ingots, guessing they were brought back by Tang Xu.

"It won’t be enough. There are at least ten people here who helped," Tang Li said, glancing outside and counting the number of people—thirteen, all middle-aged men. "I'll also steam the buns and sausages. We can't have people saying our family is stingy."

Luo Pingping raised an eyebrow and smiled, "You've learned a lot from your brother."

"Yes, my brother is a good teacher," Tang Li nodded.

Outside, Tang Dahu was moving things with others, looking at the messy state of the rooms and sighing.

"Dahu, is Wei Dong’s wife pregnant?" After finishing the work, someone finally remembered what they had heard earlier.

Tang Dahu was taken aback and turned to look at him. "He’s pregnant, what's wrong? Why do you care so much? Why are you acting like a woman, staring at someone’s belly?"

The man, embarrassed by his retort, shouted, "I'm just curious! How come your family's ger got pregnant so quickly? It's the first time I've heard of such a thing!"

The other men nearby nodded in agreement. Some of them had also married gers and remembered how their husbands longed to get pregnant, often keeping them awake at night with their worries.

Tang Dahu, with a proud expression, scoffed and said, "No one can compare to our Xu Ge'er. There isn't another ger in the village as capable as Xu Ge'er."

"Why are you nodding your head? No matter how capable he is, he’s still Erhu’s child."

"Why can't I be proud? Xu Ge'er calls me Uncle!" Tang Dahu didn't care about their sour remarks. He was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Husband! Stop chatting and come over to eat!" Luo Pingping called from the kitchen, lifting the curtain door. "Aren't you all hungry?"

Tang Dahu quickly raised his hand to invite everyone over. "Come on, come on, let's eat."

The helpers were pleasantly surprised to find a hot meal waiting for them and broke into smiles.

Without a table big enough for everyone, the dozen or so men didn't mind. They gathered in small groups, holding their bowls, fishing dumplings out of the pot with their chopsticks, taking a bite of a dumpling, and then sipping some broth, eating so intently they didn't lift their heads.

"There are also sticky rice buns and steamed sausages. If anyone wants some, go to the kitchen to get them," Luo Pingping said, as she herself held a bowl of dumpling soup. The soup, with added vinegar and chili, was tangy and spicy, making it very appetizing. Two sips warmed her up. 

The dumplings were filled with pork. Luo Pingping hadn't been willing to share the lamb and beef-filled ones with this group.

Tang Dahu held a bowl of dumpling soup in one hand and a pair of chopsticks with two round yellow sticky rice buns on them in the other.

"These dumplings taste really good. Ah Li has great skills," he complimented.

Luo Pingping laughed, "It wasn't Ah Li who made them. Both the sticky buns and the dumplings were prepared and sent back by Xu Ge'er, it was intended to be sent for the New Year. We're lucky to have them ready-made; otherwise, Ah Li and I would have been very busy trying to prepare food for so many people."

Tang Li came out of the kitchen, glanced at the men already eating, and then turned to find Tang Rui.

Tang Rui sat silently on the doorstep, staring blankly at the collapsed house in front of him.

Tang Li sighed, went back to the kitchen to get a bowl of hot dumpling soup, and brought it to him. "Big brother, have something to eat and warm up."

Tang Rui took the large bowl, holding it.

The steam rising from the bowl made his eyes water.

Tang Li didn’t know how to comfort him. 

After thinking for a moment, she said, "Big brother, I don’t know if you’ll listen to what I have to say, but I can’t hold it in anymore. Ever since mother left, you must have seen the state of our family, even if you haven’t wanted to acknowledge it. You always say you can’t do this or that, but it’s because you’ve never really considered this place your home. 

In the county, life is good, but no matter how good, it’s all bought with money. Is that really all to your life? I don’t know what you’ve been studying, but frankly, it seems to me you haven’t taken your studies seriously. Instead, you’ve been using it as an excuse to enjoy yourself."

These words had been pent up for a long time. Though Tang Li wasn’t a very traditional or conservative person, their mother had always held their eldest brother in high regard. Because he could read and write, Tang Li had always looked up to him.

But with the recent upheavals at home, Tang Li had been forced to grow up quickly. She had seen and heard much more, leading her to realize that her brother wasn’t as capable as she had once thought. In reality, he couldn’t do much of anything well.

The house had collapsed, and there was no way Tang Li wouldn't be upset.

After all, if Tang Rui had cleared the snow off the roof, it wouldn’t have collapsed under the weight!

Tang Rui pressed his lips together, saying nothing. 

Tang Li stomped her foot in frustration. “Big brother, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“What should I say?” Tang Rui looked at the dumplings floating in the hot soup and asked her, “What do you want me to say?”

“Dad’s leg will never fully recover! Are you still planning to rely on him to support your schooling?” Tang Li was so angry she was almost in tears. What did he mean by not knowing what to say? How could he not know what to say!

As the eldest brother, shouldn’t he be stepping up to support the family when their father is in trouble?

“Ah Li! Your brother is here,” Tang Dahu called out.

Tang Li wiped her face and turned to leave.

Hearing this, Tang Rui’s body trembled, and he lowered his head to drink his soup.

Tang Xu entered with Wei Dong and saw a group of people squatting in the courtyard, slurping their soup. He smiled at everyone and said warmly, “Thank you, uncles and brothers, for coming to help. Sorry to interrupt your rest.”

“Nonsense, we’re all neighbors. We couldn’t just stand by when Erhu is in trouble.”

“Exactly, and we wouldn’t have gotten to enjoy such delicious dumplings if we hadn’t come.”

“Xu Ge'er, your cooking skills are amazing. No wonder you can make a living from it!”

“Indeed, Xu Ge'er, you’re really impressive!”

The men who were speaking couldn't help but sneak glances at Tang Xu, muttering in their hearts, his waist was still slender and it was hard to tell if he was pregnant.

There were some men who even glanced at Wei Dong. Although there is a big difference in age, men can’t help but compare with each other.

What were they comparing? 

Naturally, it was his impressive physique.

Wei Dong ignored them entirely. After the busy work, he was a bit hungry too, so he went into the kitchen to have a bowl of dumpling soup to fill his stomach.

Tang Xu, smiling, thanked everyone again before heading over to Luo Pingping.

"Auntie, you’ve worked hard," he greeted her with a smile, glancing at the almost completely unearthed household items.

There wasn’t anything valuable. The bedding was too dirty to be worth keeping; in this weather, it wouldn’t dry if washed, and the mud had settled in so much that it would be even harder to clean.

"Ah Li, get a stool for your brother to sit on. It's so cold; why are you running around?" Luo Pingping eyed his belly and said, "I haven't done much work. Ah Li is capable and can handle the cooking herself. You’re not even four months along yet, right? But it looks like you’re already showing."

"I think I’ve put on a bit of weight," Tang Xu said, spreading his arms and twirling around for her to see. "Auntie, do I look like I’ve gained weight?"

Luo Pingping looked at his face. That sharp chin and his cheeks were still quite slender, though much healthier looking than before, with a noticeable rosy hue.

His waist did seem slightly rounder. Luo Pingping reached out to feel it and nodded, "Your waist is thicker than before. This jacket used to be loose on you."

"Right? I also think I’ve gained some weight lately," Tang Xu said, turning to Tang Li, who was bringing him a stool. "Pack up your things. Later, your brother-in-law will take dad to town to check on his leg. We’ll head back to my place first."

Tang Li was taken aback, then looked at him with delight. "Really? We're going to stay at my brother-in-law's place?"

"Yes, call over Ah Rui and start packing. Catch the chickens and bring them over, we will sell the pig to the butcher, and the rest we'll move tomorrow when your brother-in-law comes over. Pack your personal things first," Tang Xu said, wiping her face. "Go on."

Tang Li nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, brother, I’ll go right away!"

She turned and ran off, while Luo Pingping frowned. "How can they all go to your place? Won’t people laugh at our family?"

"Let them laugh if they want. Am I supposed to stop living because of gossip? Besides, if my dad's leg isn’t properly cared for, it’ll become a chronic problem. I don’t want him to suffer pain whenever it rains. Auntie, you know once I make up my mind, I stick to it. Let them say what they want," Tang Xu said, linking arms with Luo Pingping and whispering in her ear, "This is also a chance to keep an eye on Ah Rui and straighten him out. If he’s living with us, I can keep nagging him."

Luo Pingping gave him a light pat. "You always have a plan."

She didn’t want to say much about her nephew Tang Rui, whom she found rather disappointing. But if he could be straightened out, it would be a good thing.

"Does this mean you won't be coming back for the New Year?" Luo Pingping asked with a frown.

Tang Xu nodded. "Probably not. We don’t know the full extent of my dad's leg injury yet. I don’t want to risk moving him around, and besides with my body’s condition, Ah Dong wouldn’t feel at ease either."

Luo Pingping nodded in understanding. "That's true."

"It’s fine. As long as you all are doing well, that’s what matters. Having your dad there will make your place livelier," she said, a bit disappointed but not pushing the issue further.

Tang Xu smiled and nodded, then glanced at Tang Rui sitting on the doorstep. He gave Luo Pingping a meaningful look before walking over to Tang Rui and patting his shoulder. "Ah Rui, go pack your things. Bring your writing supplies, books, and clothes. Come with me to stay at my place."

Tang Rui was startled and turned to him in surprise. "To your house?"

Unlike Tang Li’s excitement upon hearing this, Tang Rui was genuinely scared.

"Yes, Dad, Ah Yang, and Ah Li are all going to stay at our place. What, you don’t want to go?" Tang Xu raised an eyebrow.

Tang Rui quickly shook his head. "No, but..."

"No 'but.' I told you to pack, so go pack. Stop with the nonsense and hurry up. We’ll hitch the cow cart, and you’ll drive it," Tang Xu waved his hand impatiently.

Tang Rui’s eyes widened. Drive the cart? He didn’t know how!

Tang Xu was just saying it casually, knowing well enough that he wouldn’t dare sit in the cart if Tang Rui was driving.

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