Chapter 190

Chapter 190

Pei Yan tidied up the various items in the front yard and then took a long axe to chop firewood. Turning around, he saw Gu Lanshi looking preoccupied. He stopped his work and subconsciously asked, "What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

Gu Lanshi bit his lower lip, finding it difficult to speak.

He had been pondering this matter since last night. It was alright when he was busy today, but once he had some downtime, his mind inevitably returned to it.

Pei Yan was puzzled and pressed after a pause, "Is there something troubling you?"

Gu Lanshi shook his head but hesitated before nodding at the end.

The two of them were always straightforward with each other, never hiding anything from one another. His sudden reticence made Pei Yan feel awkward.

If he asked, he feared he might be pushing too hard. If he didn't ask, he worried that something important might be delayed.

Gu Lanshi stood there motionless, his thoughts swirling in his mind. In the end, he decided to just blurt it out, his cheeks slightly red as he said, "My mother said that we've been married for almost two years now, and there's still no sign of a child. She's urging us to have one."

Miao Qiulian had actually wanted to ask about this for a while, but she hadn't found the right opportunity. Since Gu Lanshi was married, she was her daughter's mother, not her mother-in-law. Considering how much pressure Gu Lanzhu had faced, she was afraid that Gu Lanshi would suffer the same nagging and urging. Every time she thought about bringing it up, she decided to wait a little longer. They had just gotten married, what was the rush? But without realizing, she had waited until the end of this year.

She knew that Pei Yan had severed ties with the Pei family, so they didn't have any in-laws above them. The young couple lived their own lives, which was better than the constant pressure Gu Lanzhu faced. However, no matter how relaxed they were, they should at least have one child first. Neither of them was young anymore.

Gu Lanshi would turn nineteen after the New Year, and Pei Yan was twenty-two. If Gu Lanshi hadn't mentioned it, other men at this age would already have children running around, even helping the family run errands in the neighboring village to buy tofu.

Although Gu Lanshi's words were somewhat veiled, Pei Yan immediately understood their meaning.

The idea of having a child had crossed his mind several times before. However, since there was no sign of pregnancy from Gu Lanshi, he hadn't brought it up, not taking it seriously. He believed that when the time came, it would happen naturally.

Privately, he and Gu Lanshi were accustomed to living as a couple. Suddenly adding a small child to their lives was something he hadn't experienced, and he couldn't even imagine what life would be like then.

"I also think it's about time," Gu Lanshi said softly, his head lowered, a bit bashful.

Pei Yan's Adam's apple moved as he remained silent. In his heart, he thought that since his husband wanted a child, he had no reason to refuse. So, he dropped the axe in his hand, stepped forward, lifted him up, and strode towards the house.

This sudden action caught Gu Lanshi off guard. Being carried by the tall man, his face was filled with confusion. Weren't they just talking about having a child? How did it turn into this?

It wasn't until he was placed on the bed and saw Pei Yan hastily undressing and pressing down on him that he connected the two matters.

"I just wanted to let you know, I'm not really rushing..." Before he could finish his sentence, a slight pain made him close his mouth. He couldn't help but wrap his arms around the man's neck, panting and moaning softly. His vision became hazy, as if he could see the ceiling rapidly shaking.

*

Their married life had been very fulfilling, nearly two years had passed without them noticing.

Looking at the strong man in front of him, Gu Lanshi suddenly noticed a change in Pei Yan.

Compared to his previous thinness, Pei Yan had gained some weight due to good food, making him even stronger. However, he was still perfectly built, with well-proportioned muscles, a slender body, and an attractive appearance.

He was indeed handsome, but it was hard on Gu Lanshi himself. That day, he had only intended to put the idea of having a child on the agenda, not to act on it immediately.

He had tried to explain, but Pei Yan had his own reasoning. One was to take advantage of the winter break when they had time, and the other was that they needed to try more often for a child to come along. Just lying there doing nothing wouldn't work.

Gu Lanshi couldn't refute this logic. Fortunately, the days leading up to the New Year were very busy, giving him an excuse not to be too harshly treated at night.

For some reason, he felt that Pei Yan only talked nicely about wanting a child but actually just wanted to do that kind of thing.

However, without evidence, it was merely his own speculation, unproven. He gave up on overthinking it, as there were many things to prepare for the New Year.

Busy as they were, when the New Year's Eve arrived, the entire village became festive and lively.

There hadn't been any snow recently, and they had gone to the market for two consecutive days. Today, they finally had a break and didn't need to go out again.

Early in the morning, Gu Lanshi boiled glue and, together with Pei Yan, started pasting the festive couplets of various sizes. They decorated the kitchen, the main room, the storeroom where the grain jars and flour were kept, as well as the well and the backyard livestock shelter, hoping for a bountiful harvest and prosperous livestock.

Neither of them could read, so they followed the crowd to buy the couplets. With Gu Lanyu helping to check, they only needed to remember where each one should be pasted.

After pasting all the couplets, their home instantly looked different, with the New Year atmosphere becoming much thicker.

Gu Lanshi was delighted and hung lanterns with Pei Yan. In the end, he got excited and hung a few red tassels he had made on the branches of the fruit trees at the front of the large vegetable field.

There weren't many tassels, only about ten scattered ones. The red tassels hanging on the bare branches were very eye-catching, adding a touch of festivity.

They didn't have any relatives from the same clan, so they didn't need to visit anyone today. As for the Gu family, that was their maternal uncle's family, and it wasn't appropriate to return today. Therefore, there was no other work to be done at home, and the two of them began preparing lunch and the New Year's Eve dinner.

Pei Yan also tied on an apron, and whatever Gu Lanshi assigned him to do, he did it—washing vegetables, chopping them, boiling water, and cleaning fish.

The fish they bought yesterday at the market were still alive. They bought a total of five fish, which were expensive during this season, but they could afford it. Whether for themselves or for guests, they should eat well during the New Year.

Lunch today was simple: a bowl of stir-fried shredded radish, a plate of stir-fried meat slices, and a few steamed white mantou buns.

Gu Lanshi prepared these dishes. Since it wasn't yet time for the meal, he took out specially cut lean meat and minced it on the cutting board with a rhythmic thud.

With only the two of them, he planned to make six dishes, symbolizing a smooth and prosperous future. They would also stay up late tonight, so they needed to have some hot soup. After mincing the meat, he made meatballs to cook in a meatball soup.

Ever since they slaughtered the pig, the dog had either bones or meat to eat every day. At this moment, smelling the meat, it didn't drool and didn't howl at the kitchen door.

Seeing Pei Yan squatting beside him washing the fish, Gu Lanshi calculated in his mind. One whole fish, a basin of meatballs, and two bowls of steamed chicken and duck pieces. This made four dishes. They just needed two more vegetable dishes.

"Done washing," Pei Yan wrung out the water and placed the fish in the fish platter.

Gu Lanshi's cleaver continued to chop as he looked at him and said, "Peel a couple of pears. We won't cook porridge for lunch. Let's have a bowl of sweet pear soup instead, to soothe the dryness."

"Alright." Pei Yan went to fetch pears and brown sugar cubes.

Huazai was playing in the yard, digging through the snow and dirt. Seeing this, Pei Yan glanced away. On New Year's Eve, most families wouldn't beat their children, so he decided not to hit the dog either.

Their New Year's celebration was a bit quieter compared to others, but it didn't diminish their anticipation for the new year.

At the Xu family's place.

Xu Qier was on New Year's break and would stay at home until the fifteenth before returning. His culinary skills weren't great, so he was busy in the kitchen with his younger brother.

The New Year's Eve dinner for the two of them was much simpler, with the meat provided by Gu Lanshi. Xu Rui'er only ate a small portion, intending to save the rest for her brother's return, to be enjoyed during the New Year celebrations.

*

Time flies when one is busy. After lunch, they tidied up the house again, checking every nook and cranny, fearful of overlooking anything.

Seeing Huīhuī and Huáizǎi fighting, Gu Lanshi had an idea. She rummaged through the house, found a narrow strip of red cloth, cut it into three pieces, and tied them around the dogs' necks.

Huáizǎi, being the most naive, had never been restrained before and found it very uncomfortable. Shaking his head, he felt something was amiss and tried to remove the thing around his neck. Gu Lanshi loosened it a bit so that it wouldn't be too tight and uncomfortable; only then did he settle down.

Dàhēi was very well-behaved, having no objections to being dressed up. Huīhuī, on the other hand, accepted the red ribbon around his neck proudly under Gu Lanshi's praise, strutting around with his head held high.

As sporadic firecracker sounds echoed from the village, night fell without notice. The glow from the kitchen illuminated the darkness, the smoke blending into the night, and the aroma of food grew stronger.

Pei Yan opened a new jar of wine to pair with their New Year's Eve feast.

Gu Lanshi was delighted. Normally, she would only taste half a bowl, but today she drank a full bowl, her cheeks flushed red, yet her eyes shone brightly.

After the meal, they didn't bother cleaning up the leftovers. Hand in hand, they went outside to set off firecrackers and fireworks.

"Bang—"

A magnificent spark exploded in the night sky, with Gu Lanshi standing below, gazing upward.

This was her second New Year with Pei Yan, and she was overjoyed—a happiness that was indescribable, as if she was submerged in the fireworks and the slight intoxication from the wine.