Chapter 182

Chapter 182

They put away all the money, locked the box, and sat back down at the kang table.

Pei Yan took a sip of tea and found it cold. He lifted the pot to check, noticing that even the teapot was cool. He got up to fetch hot water from the clay jar, saying, "When you think about it, most of the money we'll have by the end of the year comes from the pigs."

"For next year, let's do the same. Besides the sow, we'll keep six piglets. That's perfect for our three pigpens. Any more than that wouldn't work; one pigpen can only handle two big pigs."

"Agreed." Gu Lanshi nodded firmly. This year had indeed been exhausting with all the grass cutting, vegetable planting, and various other tasks, but earning money made it all worthwhile.

Pei Yan refilled his bowl with hot tea and glanced out the window at the sky. "I wonder if it will snow tonight. I'll go to my in-laws' place and ask if they have any extra straw. If it snows, who knows how long it will take for the roads to become passable again."

"That makes sense. I'll come with you. If we don't have enough at home, we can ask others as well." Gu Lanshi agreed, got off the kang bed, and put on his shoes. Hearing the strong wind, he also wore his hat and scarf.

The wind was strong, so most people were indoors. Seeing the courtyard gate closed, Gu Lanshi called out twice. Dog quickly came to open the door. Upon hearing that their supply of straw and wheat stalks was running low, Gu Tieshan didn't hesitate to agree, offering two carts worth of wheat stalks.

The Gu family had a cart, so Gu Lanshi and Pei Yan didn't need to return home to fetch one. They used the one available at home.

Dog and Pei Yan loaded the wheat stalks onto the cart using wooden forks. Both strong and capable, they didn't need help from anyone else. Gu Lanshi thought for a moment and then took his mother to ask Zhou Ping next door.

Zhou Ping's family also had extra wheat stalks. Upon hearing that they were willing to pay, he said he could provide a cartload, roughly sixty to seventy catties.

Miao Qiulian saw that her sons wanted to bring the wheat stalks and straw home before the snow fell, hoping to get everything settled early. She interacted with the villagers more frequently than Gu Lanshi did, so she helped her son by asking around at two more households.

The sun was hidden behind thick clouds, casting a dim light. Pei Yan and Dog, who were helping, weren't feeling cold at all. They loaded and pulled the carts, delivering a total of six carts to the back mountain. The amount of straw and rice straw varied from household to household, totaling approximately four hundred catties, for which they spent over two hundred coins.

After bringing the dry straw back, Gu Lanshi and Pei Yan stacked it neatly layer by layer on the threshing ground. As the pile of straw grew, the two felt increasingly reassured.

Money spent was money spent, but as long as the livestock and poultry stayed warm and well-fed, it was all worth it.

*

Steaming hot dishes were placed on the kang table, and the chopsticks and bowls were set. It was already dark outside, and dinner was a bit late today.

The candlelight flickered slightly. Pei Yan lit two more candles, brightening the room a little.

Opening the wine jar, the aroma of alcohol filled the air. Gu Lanshi poured two bowls of wine, usually only drinking half a bowl himself, unable to consume more.

He placed the wine jar on Pei Yan's side and said with a smile, "Let's eat the meat first."

In the soup pot was meat broth and chopped short ribs. He also cooked some Chinese cabbage leaves in the meat broth, providing both meat and vegetables. The dishes steamed, emitting a delicious fragrance. There was also a plate of stir-fried eggs and a plate of stir-fried peanuts on the table.

The fire basin on the floor was still burning. A four-legged wooden frame was set up, perfectly enclosing the fire basin.

A wooden board was placed on the wooden frame, with a gap between the flame and the board to prevent it from catching fire. However, it was sufficient to keep the plate of steamed buns and roasted sweet potatoes warm on top.

Picking up a piece of rib, Gu Lanshi tasted it first. The meat was already tender, almost falling off the bone with just a bite.

Pei Yan ate while drinking, finishing his bowl of wine quickly. He picked up the wine jar and refilled his own bowl. The clear, fragrant wine was far superior to the turbid wine they usually drank. This was fine wine bought in town.

"Hiss—"

Gu Lanshi put down his wine bowl. Although it was spicy, it was indeed very fragrant.

"We should buy two more jars during the New Year for guests," Pei Yan said with a smile.

"Mm-hmm." Gu Lanshi nodded. Those who would visit them during the New Year were all family members, so there was no need to be stingy.

"How many eggs do we have?" Pei Yan asked after taking a sip of wine.

Gu Lanshi thought for a moment and said, "Around fifty or sixty, I didn't count them exactly."

He took a serving of eggs with his chopsticks. He hadn't tasted the saltiness when stir-frying them earlier, but now they were just right. He was quite satisfied with his cooking skills.

Pei Yan stretched out his arm and grabbed two coarse steamed buns, casually giving one to him. "If this snow lasts, I'll go to town tomorrow or the day after to sell the eggs and bring back another twenty to thirty salted duck eggs."

It had started snowing lightly while they were cooking earlier.

"Alright." Gu Lanshi took a bite of the steamed bun and mumbled his agreement, then took another serving of Chinese cabbage.

Remembering that he had been looking forward to selling the pigs, Pei Yan's lips curved slightly. The candlelight reflected in his starry eyes, bright and warm. After this snowfall, they would sell two more pigs.

He calculated in his mind but didn't mention it. The money wasn't in their hands yet, and besides, Gu Lanshi was busy eating, enjoying his meal of meat and eggs. It was best not to disturb him.

The snowflakes grew larger, gradually covering the ground and rooftops. In the darkness and silence, only the east room's window emitted a faint glow.

Dog, who had eaten steamed buns soaked in meat broth, had already gone to sleep in his doghouse. However, his vigilance remained unrelaxed. If someone approached outside at this moment, he would immediately notice. It was instinctive for him.

*

In the morning, Xiaohexi Village was covered in a layer of silver-white snow. Snow blanketed everywhere, making the early morning chillier. With the snowfall, many men were reluctant to leave their warm kang beds. Women and husbands, however, had to prepare meals and clean, naturally waking up a bit earlier.

At the Xu residence.

Xu Rui'er squatted in the courtyard, using a wooden board to scoop up the untouched snow on the ground and placing it in wooden basins and buckets. This way, he wouldn't have to go to the river to fetch water.

His family didn't have a well. When it snowed, the roads became difficult to navigate, and the river was already frozen. Sometimes, he had to move rocks to break through the ice to fetch water. He was small and didn't have much strength, so each time he could only carry one bucket of water. If he accidentally wet his shoes, he would suffer from the icy discomfort for several days. By bringing the snow into the house, it would melt into water while he was warming himself by the fire, making it equally usable.

Yesterday afternoon, he heard from someone that Lin Dengwa had been beaten by his father. Although he didn't know the details, the neighbors around the Lin family had seen Pei Yan, leading to some speculations. They all said that Lin Dengwa had provoked Pei Yan, and Pei Yan had come to their doorstep. Lin Jingen was afraid and struck first. Otherwise, Lin Dengwa's small physique wouldn't have been enough to withstand a beating from the living hellish figure. By striking himself, it was merely superficial injuries that would heal with time.

However, Xu Rui'er knew that Lin Dengwa hadn't provoked Pei Yan. He didn't know how Brother Lanshi had spoken to Pei Yan, but he roughly understood that Lin Dengwa and the others wouldn't bully him anymore.

To be honest, among the three of them, Lin Dengwa and Lin Luer were the worst. Now that these two had suffered misfortune, he wasn't overly happy. Instead, he felt a sense of security, no longer worrying about being beaten when he went out.

As he scooped the snow, he thought that he should tell his brother about this matter when he returned next time.

Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, most of the Winter month had already passed. The weather was too cold, and the accumulated snow on the ground had yet to melt. In places with heavy foot traffic and vehicles, the mud was inevitable.

*

Gu Lanshi washed his hands, sat on the edge of the kang bed, removed his shoes, and then climbed onto the warm kang.

He rubbed his hands together, remembering the ointment Pei Yan had bought last time. He took it out from the box.

The small ointment box was just the right size to fit in his palm. Upon opening it, a faint fragrance filled the air. He scooped out some of the contents with his fingertips and rubbed it onto the back of his hand.

After using it for several days, the tiny cracks on his hands had healed, leaving the skin smooth and supple without dryness. It was indeed a quality product, albeit a bit pricey at eighty wen per box.

When he bought it, Gu Lanshi asked Pei Yan if there were any cheaper alternatives. Pei Yan mentioned a fifty wen option that came in a larger box, but its scent wasn't as refined. Thus, they chose this one.

As for more expensive options, Pei Yan had considered them, but then he thought about how much money they had saved. For now, he decided to let Gu Lanshi try the eighty wen version. If it didn't meet expectations, they could switch to a pricier one next time.

After applying the ointment, Gu Lanshi closed the lid and was about to put it back in the wooden box when Pei Yan entered from outside.

Seeing the ointment box, he asked, "Did you apply it?"

"Yes," Gu Lanshi replied with a smile.

Pei Yan approached and grabbed his husband's hand for a close inspection, feeling the skin. Satisfied that the ointment had been used, he said nothing more.

In the early days after bringing it home, seeing how Gu Lanshi found it expensive and hesitated to use it, applying only a little at a time, Pei Yan had no choice but to watch him closely each time after washing his hands, urging him to use more. That's how they adjusted.

"If you touch me again, all the ointment will end up on your hands," Gu Lanshi sighed, half-jokingly.

It was unclear when this habit formed, but Pei Yan would often caress his hands aimlessly, sometimes for extended periods, lost in thought. Everyone has five fingers; what was so intriguing about them?

Pei Yan chuckled, released his hand, and stopped fussing. He also took off his shoes and climbed onto the heated bed.

It was cold outside, and all the necessary work was done. It was time to warm up indoors.

Gu Lanshi wasn't particularly keen on sewing. He leaned against a long cushion and said, "Tomorrow morning, change into new undergarments."

"Understood," Pei Yan replied, moving a plate of plum pastries and a dish of red bean cakes to the table. Looking up, he asked, "Should we try the new tea?"

"Sure," Gu Lanshi agreed readily. They had bought two types of tea but had only tried one so far.

Rural folk didn't fuss over tea preparation. A simple brew in a teapot, poured into a bowl, was enough to enjoy.

Compared to the wild mountain tea they had previously made themselves, this plain tea was delicately fragrant. Accompanied by the tea, they savored the pastries, enjoying a leisurely moment.

Soon, barking from outside signaled a visitor.

"Lanshi!"

"Elder Sister."

Initially, seeing Pei Yan leave the heated bed, Gu Lanshi didn't feel like going himself. The visitors would likely be his mother or grandmother, whom they saw every day, so there was no need to specially greet them. However, Gu Lanxiu's voice prompted him to quickly put on his shoes and head outside.

Not only did Gu Lanxiu come alone, she also carried Little Niu'er.

Upon seeing his chubby nephew, Gu Lanshi smiled warmly and reached out to take him. Little Niu'er cooperated, allowing himself to be held without crying or fussing.