Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Planting rice is a physically demanding task, with one's back bent from dawn till dusk. The sun's heat drenches the body, though fortunately, it's not yet scorching hot at this time of year.

Gu Lan Shi waded barefoot through the paddy field, his soles sinking into the wet mud, causing squelching sounds with each step.

After finishing a batch of seedlings in his hand, he straightened up to wipe his sweat and glanced over his shoulder at Pei Yan, who had already surpassed him by a stretch.

For rural folk, finding a skilled and strong laborer is crucial. A robust workforce transforms a household entirely.

Gu Lan Shi caught his breath, reaching into the small bamboo basket slung over his back for another bundle of seedlings to continue planting.

They only had one mu of land to tend to – a half share for each of them. Seeing Pei Yan progress further, Gu Lan Shi couldn't lag behind. At this rate, they'd finish the job by noon.

Other farmers were also working nearby, engrossed in their tasks, leaving no time for idle chatter.

As the sun climbed higher at midday, Gu Lan Shi squinted at the sky. beads of sweat trickled down his neck, and his stomach rumbled. Looking back at the rice field, he noticed that Pei Yan had started planting on his side, working from the opposite end, leaving only a narrow strip of unseeded ground between them.

Wiping his brow, he said, "I'll head back to cook first. You carry on, and return when you're done."

"Very well." Pei Yan agreed, taking more seedlings from the bamboo basket to continue planting. beads of sweat coated his face, and his clothes were drenched with perspiration.

After climbing up the ridge, Gu Lan picked up his grass shoes and hurried back home with his mud-coated feet bare.

His seedling transplanting was not particularly slow, but Pei Yan's limbs moved with such deftness that even his walking pace surpassed others. He had overheard Pei Yan mention in passing before that during military marches, those who couldn't keep up the pace would be left behind.

The courtyard gate was ajar, and Big Black was dozing in the shade. Upon seeing Gu Lan enter, it raised its head briefly before resting it back on its front paws.

After quenching his thirst with a bowl of water, Gu Lan didn't rush to rest; instead, he entered the kitchen and lit a fire first.

Rising early in the morning, he cooked bamboo shoots and diced thrush meat in the pot, which were already done. Now, they just needed reheating.

He placed the steamer basket on top of the meat broth pot to warm the buns, while another pot would be used for stir-frying vegetables.

Spotting the jar of lard on the counter, he hesitated but decided against using animal fat, as they had already consumed it earlier in the morning. Instead, he opted for vegetable oil to cook the vegetables, providing a change in taste.

The spring vegetables had been chopped beforehand, so they were quickly stir-fried and served once cooked.

Not seeing Pei Yan return, Gu Lan picked four cucumbers from the vegetable patch and harvested a large bunch of leeks. He washed and chopped them, ready to cook in the afternoon when Pei Yan came back.

After setting the food on the table, it wasn't long before Pei Yan entered the house. After a brief rest, they both ate and fed the livestock before rushing back to the fields.

Farmers rarely had leisure time. Having finished their own chores, Pei Yan went to help his father-in-law with rice planting. Gu Lan accompanied him, and fortunately, the Gu family was numerous, so the six mu (about 10,000 square meters) of land didn't take them long. Then, they joined Gu Lan Sheng and Gu Lan He to do odd jobs in Baishui Village.

All three were young and physically strong, especially Pei Yan, with his long limbs that suggested great strength. As Gu Lan Sheng had a superficial acquaintance with the supervisor, the latter took one look at Pei Yan and asked for his name. After jotting it down, Pei Yan joined the others in fetching seedlings and starting work.

Bai, the wealthy landowner, due to his extensive land, offered short-term workers forty copper coins a day and two hearty meals for rice planting.

Though the wage might seem modest, it was more than what one could earn from doing casual work on a slightly better-off small farm. Those who owned around twenty mu of land often found themselves too busy to manage alone. They would hire help as well, paying twenty cash coins a day and providing a hearty meal.

Bai Dacai preferred robust young men for his workforce. Those elderly men who couldn't meet his requirements often found temporary work on smaller farms, earning twenty cash coins, which was decent pay as well.

With food provided over there, Gu Lan had been taking care of himself these few days.

Pei Yan had labored for five days at Master Bai's estate, with the final day being only half. However, after Master Bai made his rounds in the fields and was pleased with their progress, he generously paid everyone for a full day's work.

Wages were paid daily. After Pei Yan received another forty copper coins, Gu Lan fetched a hemp rope to string the coins together. There were exactly two hundred coins, forming two neat strings.

Pei Yan sat down to rest, taking a sip of water as he spoke, "Second Brother mentioned that during the wheat harvest, it's scorching hot and they pay sixty copper coins a day, with two meals provided."

Gu Lan Shi looked up and smiled, "That's higher pay than elsewhere."

In a typical peasant household, hiring someone to cut wheat for a day would cost thirty copper coins. Pei Yan nodded in agreement, "Yes, it is."

Gu Lan Shi pondered for a moment before adding, "You've been busy for several days now, and the wheat harvest isn't far off. You should take a break."

Pei Yan took another sip of water, nodding, "Mm, once the weather gets hotter, there'll be more work like irrigation and weeding. Big Brother said the same thing, there's no rush to head to the dockside."

Gu Lan Shi finished tying the rope and glanced at Pei Yan's clothes, "It's time to change your clothes and wash your hair. Why not boil some water? With the light still bright and the sun shining, you can wash and bathe, and feel refreshed."

The carpenter had already delivered the bathtub. The previous day, while Pei Yan was away, Gu Lan Shi had taken the opportunity to give himself a thorough scrub, feeling invigorated after the bath.

Pei Yan paused slightly before softly agreeing.

Gu Lan Shi didn't let him go boil the water; instead, he cheerfully went into the kitchen with the money.

The western room hadn't been inhabited for a long time and was somewhat chilly. Pei Yan carried the bathtub into the eastern room and placed it in an area further from the kang (a traditional Chinese heated bed).

After the water was heated, Gu Lan felt a bit awkward seeing Pei Yan come to fetch it. However, he still casually asked, "Do you want me to scrub your back?"

Back at home, his mother and Bamboo Brother would sometimes ask him to do it. He had also bathed Doggy when he was little, before they started avoiding such close contact as they grew older.

Now, with only the two of them, Pei Yan had been working hard for days. A good scrub would surely be soothing for him.

Pei Yan stood still with the bucket for a moment, then looked up at Gu Lan. "Sure."

Gu Lan's ears turned inexplicably red from that glance, his cheeks burning. Fortunately, Pei Yan had already carried the water outside.

He patted his own cheeks, reminding himself not to make a big deal out of it. This was how families lived together. Forget about scrubbing backs, when he was young and his mother was too busy, he had helped Doggy and Bamboo Brother bathe. Although he hadn't been very meticulous, he was still quite young himself at the time.

Not following Pei Yan inside, Gu Lan waited until after a while and called through the window, "Are you done?"

A low response came from within the room, and he then entered.

Closing the door gently, Gu Lan glanced at the person with their back turned to him, whose face was flushed, and the heat wouldn't subside.

He stepped forward and whispered, "The cloth towel."

Pei Yan remained with his back turned, extending his hand backward to pass the cloth.

The cloth was damp, and Gu Lan Shi first wiped his shoulders before moving down his back. Pei Yan was very cooperative, not leaning against the sides of the tub but instead slightly bending forward, revealing his broad, muscular back.

Upon entering earlier, he hadn't dared to look too closely. Now, Gu Lan Shi could clearly see that there were seven or eight knife scars on his body. Some had faded to almost imperceptible shades, while others were more prominent, likely indicating deeper wounds at the time.

Until now, he had only heard his mother speak of the horrors of war and the loss of life. It was only at this moment that Gu Lan Shi began to grasp the brutality of battle.

A person, once whole, was slashed with so many blades – and that was just on his back. He wondered if there were more scars elsewhere on his body. To have survived years of warfare was truly no easy feat.

Feeling somewhat subdued, he no longer felt bashful. Employing both his hands and the cloth, he focused on scrubbing Pei Yan's back with great diligence.

The warm water made it easy to remove the grime, yet it still took effort. Pei Yan couldn't reach his own back, so naturally, it was a bit dirtier than other areas. As for his waist and abdomen, Gu Lan didn't have the courage to touch them.

Only when the back was smooth and free of any residue did Gu Lan Shi pass the cloth forward and inquire, "Do you need more hot water?"

Pei Yan, who hadn't spoken a word until now, replied in a hoarse voice, "Yes, please add some more."

Gu Lan Shi fetched another bucket of hot water, allowing Pei Yan to soak longer for a cleaner wash. Then, he closed the door and returned to the main room to mend shoes.

These past few days, Pei Yan had been working odd jobs outside. Whenever he had the chance, he would purchase some old clothes and scraps of cloth from villagers for five copper coins. After cleaning them, he made paste and pasted the cloth together in his courtyard to dry, following which he cut them according to the shape of Pei Yan's shoes. He planned to sew several layers of soles together, eventually crafting a pair step by step.

It was the first time in years that he had bathed in a tub. Having grown accustomed to rough conditions during military campaigns, he usually just rinsed himself with cold water in winter. Upon seeing the dirt that had accumulated in the water after scrubbing his back, any romantic notions Pei Yan had vanished. Feeling embarrassed, he fell silent and lingered in the warm water a while longer after adding more hot water.

After finishing his bath but before using the wild soapberry, Pei Yan found the water too dirty to continue. However, he was reluctant to ask Gu Lanshi for help changing the water, so he got out of the tub, wrapping a dirty cloth around his waist for modesty.

Upon hearing the door open, Gu Lanshi assumed Pei Yan was done, only to be confronted with the naked upper body of the latter. Startled, he saw the scars of various lengths on Pei Yan's chest, particularly an old scar near his heart that looked rather menacing.

"I'll change the water," Pei Yan explained, lifting the bucket.

"Oh, okay," Gu Lanshi replied hastily. Realizing it was inappropriate for Pei Yan to come out like this, he put down his work and helped with the task.

After Pei Yan re-entered for another wash, Gu Lanshi sat outside, lost in thought. As expected, the scars weren't limited to his back. However, he dared not inquire further, fearing it might reopen old wounds for Pei Yan. Knowing that Pei Yan disliked discussing his past and had a peculiar temperament, Gu Lanshi could only sigh inwardly and let the matter rest.

Once thoroughly clean, Pei Yan felt rejuvenated. But the pampering wasn't over yet – Gu Lanshi boiled half a pot of water for him to wash his hair.

Using the wild soapberry, a rich lather formed, and after two rounds, his hair was spotless. With damp hair, he sat in the courtyard to dry in the sun.

Gu Lan Shi fetched a comb and offered to brush Pei Yan's hair while he himself sat by, diligently cutting out shoe patterns. He chuckled and said, "I'll change the bed sheets and blankets later. That way, we'll sleep more comfortably at night."

"Alright," Pei Yan nodded, feeling refreshed after thoroughly cleaning himself.

Gu Lan Shi finished the final shoe pattern and rubbed his neck. "I'll grab some vegetable seeds from home another day. We can plant cucumbers, mint, and yardlong beans. Once it gets hotter, we'll have something to eat. It might be a bit late for winter melons and pumpkins, but it doesn't matter. We'll plant them first and see what happens."

He glanced at the vegetable patch in the courtyard and continued, "It's the perfect time to plant daylilies. Let's cultivate a few rows; they can last for years. I'll take some divisions from the ones my mother planted. If that's not enough, we can sow some seeds ourselves. It's just a matter of waiting two or three years. We should also grow some chili peppers, eggplants, and arugula. With two people eating, we can't be too casual. Having a variety will allow us to switch things up."

Pei Yan followed Gu Lan Shi's gaze to the vegetable plot, calculating the tasks needed. Tomorrow, he would need to till the soil and expand the area.

After days of hard work, they had planted crops and earned a little money. Finally, they could rest. Although both were at home, there was still work to be done like feeding the livestock. Even if they wanted to be idle, there was no such luxury.

As night fell, Gu Lan Shi washed up and sat inside to soak his feet. The moonlight seeping through the window illuminated the room, eliminating the need for an oil lamp.

He dried his feet, preparing to empty the water, but Pei Yan beat him to it, carrying the wooden basin outside.

Gu Lan Shi smiled slightly, rolling up his inner robe and climbing onto the bed.

Once Pei Yan joined him, he could faintly smell the wild soapberry fragrance on his partner, a clean and soothing aroma.

It could have been the warmth radiating from Pei Yan's body that infused the scent with a subtle heat. He shifted deeper into the bed, an unexplainable unease settling upon him.