Chapter 233

Chapter 233

The dark clouds arrived swiftly, soon obscuring the sky. Large raindrops pattered down, splashing on the ground and quickly forming streams of water.

The earthy smell of damp soil and rain filled the air until the ground was thoroughly soaked, and everywhere was covered in water, the pungent scent finally dissipating.

The heat was washed away as heavy rain poured down like a waterfall, falling with great vigor.

At the entrance of the main room, rainwater flowed down from the eaves, forming a curtain of water. Gu Lanshi held Pang Xingxing and watched the heavy rain.

Rain splashed inside, wetting the ground at their feet, and Gu Lanshi took two steps back.

"Ah." Xingxing stretched out his chubby arms, wanting to touch the rain, making sounds like "mo, mo" in frustration.

He couldn't speak yet, but he listened to adults talk every day and tried to mimic them, occasionally getting it right.

"It's 'Am,' not 'mo,'" Gu Lanshi corrected, moving forward again with Xingxing and gently extending his hand into the rain.

The rain hit the little chubby hand, and immediately, Am pulled it back, making Xingxing giggle.

Gu Lanshi played with him for a while, then touched his son's small hand, feeling it was a bit cold. He took out a handkerchief to dry it and went back inside, ending the game.

"Ao—ao—"

A cloth tiger was picked up. Gu Lanshi didn't know what a real tiger sounded like, having never seen one, but most people imitated it this way, so he did too, using it to tease Xingxing.

Xingxing grabbed the cloth tiger without being scared by the imitation roar.

In a tug-of-war between big and small, Gu Lanshi eventually lost, and the cloth tiger ended up in Xingxing's hands.

Biting the tiger's ear, Xingxing heard footsteps and looked up.

Pei Yan lifted the door curtain and came in, hanging his raincoat and hat on the wall of the main room. He carried five fish, three large and two small, with stems of flexible grass passing through their mouths.

One of the fish wriggled its body, its tail slapping the air, splashing water around.

"Wu—" Xingxing's eyes widened at the sight of the live fish.

Pei Yan smiled and said, "I caught just these five, enough for us to eat."

Today, he hadn't set nets; instead, he had speared them. The live fish was caught by hand, intending to show it to Xingxing.

"Enough," Gu Lanshi replied, noticing Pei Yan's rolled-up pants still exposed. He added, "The river and rainwater are cold, which is bad for your legs. There's hot water in the pot. Wash up and change into a pair of straw shoes."

"I understand," Pei Yan said, lifting the big fish and waving it in front of his son, watching Xingxing's eyes follow it.

"Touch it, don't be afraid." Gu Lanshi touched the fish with his finger first, smiling and saying, "See, Am touched it."

Xingxing stared at the big fish covered in scales, making "wu" sounds, unsure what he was saying. He cautiously extended a chubby finger but withdrew it just before touching the fish.

"Oh, what's there to be afraid of? You're usually so brave," Gu Lanshi teased his son and demonstrated again.

Pei Yan moved the fish closer, bringing it nearer to them.

Xingxing let out an "ah" sound, as if encouraging himself. His little finger touched the fish, and he was both surprised and delighted, crying out and laughing.

"Really impressive," Pei Yan praised, smiling. "On a sunny day, we can catch some live fish and keep them in a basin so Xingxing can see them."

"That's a good idea," Gu Lanshi agreed. Their son had been to the riverbank but had never seen fish swimming up close.

Liu Dagé and Zhou Dalang returned. Before going to the fields, the weather had already turned bad, so they wore raincoats and hats, avoiding getting wet.

Pei Yan took the fish outside to clean and prepare them. Taking advantage of their freshness, he steamed them. The fish meat was tender, and after removing the bones, he could feed some to Xingxing, so he didn't make it spicy.

Today's lunch was served early, as usual, on two tables: one for Gu Lanshi and Pei Yan, and another for Liu Dagé and Zhou Dalang.

Both tables had similar dishes, each with a steamed fish and two bowls of vegetables. They always had enough coarse bread, and occasionally, they would steam a couple of baskets of fluffy white buns to satisfy their cravings.

Gu Lanshi carefully picked a small piece of boneless, tender fish meat, double-checking it before feeding it to Xingxing.

Xingxing had his mouth wide open, sitting on his lap, staring intently at the fish meat, almost impatiently taking it into his mouth.

To prevent overeating adult food that might be hard to digest, Gu Lanshi had already fed Xingxing a milk fruit before the meal, adding a few more bites to ensure he was full.

Pei Yan, who ate quickly, finished first and took Xingxing from Gu Lanshi's arms, letting him sit on his lap.

Gu Lanshi could finally eat in peace. Seeing Xingxing cry for more, he took a sip of rice soup and said, "Feed him two more bites, but don't give him too much. After feeding him, take him to play in the room."

"Understood," Pei Yan said, picking up the chopsticks and selecting a small piece of fish meat, checking for bones.

After two more bites, even though Xingxing kept staring at the fish on the table, Pei Yan followed Gu Lanshi's instructions and took the child into the room.

Hearing no cries from their son, Gu Lanshi felt relieved. If he wasn't crying, he must be full. At just eight months old, his little tummy could only hold so much.

The heavy rain turned light, and a slight earthy scent drifted in from the window.

Whenever they weren't working outside, Pei Yan always played with Xingxing.

Having someone help with childcare was a relief for Gu Lanshi, who usually managed alone. Xingxing was chubby and heavier than other babies his age, and even though he was used to carrying him, it still tired him out.

The bamboo mat was a bit cool due to the rain, so he laid a thin quilt. Xingxing lay on the soft quilt, crawling towards him with his hands and feet.

Since they were close, Xingxing soon reached Am's arms, happy and patting Gu Lanshi's thigh, making "ah, ah" sounds, looking very content.

"Come here, come to Daddy," Pei Yan said, sitting on the edge of the bed, beckoning Xingxing to crawl back.

Xingxing turned to look at him, his bright eyes sparkling, smiling and showing two tiny teeth, but he didn't move. Instead, he lay down, resting his cheek on Gu Lanshi's thigh, holding onto his pant leg, showing his dependence.

Understanding that Xingxing was attached to Gu Lanshi, Pei Yan smiled.

Gu Lansi patted his son's little head, smiling with a hint of pride as he looked up at Pei Yan. "See? Babies always stick to whoever gave birth to them."

Pei Yan had a good temper, but seeing his son's adorable appearance, he rarely showed it in front of others. Unable to resist, he said, "I should get half the credit."

He paused for a moment, then lowered his voice, "After all, I did my part too."

The words were subtle, and Gu Lansi was used to such talk during intimate moments at night. However, it was daytime now, even though the sky was overcast and dim, and there were people in the outer room.

Gu Lansi suddenly lost his words, his ears turning slightly red. He silently glared at Pei Yan and ignored him, only lowering his head to play with Xingxing.

Pei Yan's lips curved upwards, his clear eyes fixed on his husband's reddened ears, which were white with a touch of pink. His neck was also fair, and every time he leaned down to take a light sniff at the nape of his neck, he could smell a faint scent of wild bath beads—a warm and clean aroma.

Lost in thought, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he moved his gaze away, not daring to look anymore.

*

Amidst the sounds of insects and frogs, the rain continued to patter incessantly, making the night colder. Even with the doors and windows tightly shut, they couldn't keep out the chill of the rainy night.

Xingxing was fast asleep, warmly tucked under the blankets, occasionally murmuring in his sleep, perhaps dreaming of something delightful.

To prevent him from rolling around while sleeping, they placed long pillows on both sides and at his feet, forming a protective circle.

On the bed, Gu Lansi hadn't fallen asleep yet, chatting casually with Pei Yan.

"Next time we go to the city, buy two jars of plum wine. It's quite refreshing to have a bowl when it's hot."

"Mm, I know," Pei Yan replied, turning over to pull him into an embrace.

Gu Lansi's cheek almost touched Pei Yan's chest, separated only by a thin layer of clothing. The warmth and firmness of his muscles provided a sense of comfort.

Sleeping through the sweltering summer nights was difficult, but tonight, with the coolness, they could cuddle without breaking a sweat.

Gu Lansi shifted slightly, pressing his ear against Pei Yan's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat with a smile.

Pei Yan's large hand caressed his husband's waist, lingering affectionately.

In the darkness, they kissed for a while before parting. The hand on his waist was rough and warm, long and strong, exuding absolute power.

Gu Lansi felt content. Despite the storm outside, he was in high spirits. Even when Pei Yan turned over and pressed down on him again, he didn't push him away but instead cooperated, lifting his hips to meet him.

With a sigh, they fit perfectly together.

*

The drizzle continued, and Xingxing no longer wore just a belly band for comfort; he was dressed in clothes and shoes. Being a small child, wearing too little could easily make him catch a cold.

Pei Yan played with his son on the bed, sometimes shaking a rattle or blowing a clay whistle.

Outside, the dog would bark along, creating a chorus that never seemed to end. The noise was constant.

In the kitchen, Gu Lansi added more firewood to the stove. Soon, steam began to rise from the pot. He lifted the wooden lid with a large spoon, and a burst of heat and the aroma of stewed meat filled the air.

The meat broth bubbled vigorously, the ribs and chunks of meat thoroughly cooked. A poke with chopsticks revealed how tender they had become.

He scooped a half-basin of fresh wild greens into the pot. In no time, the greens were cooked, their green freshness blending with the meaty aroma. The basin of greens quickly diminished, all cooked in the meat broth.

There was enough food for four adults to eat until their bellies were full.

In the adjacent pot, steamed white rice was ready. They hadn't had rice for half a month, but today, with Pei Yan at home watching the child, Gu Lansi finally had the chance to prepare a good meal.

The cooked wild greens emitted a faintly sweet fragrance. Gu Lansi ladled the soup into two bowls and called Pei Yan to bring the food.

Liu Daguo and Zhou Dalang were weaving bamboo baskets and making straw shoes in the outer room. Hearing the call, they stood up, patted off the bamboo and straw shavings, rubbed their hands, and followed Pei Yan into the kitchen.

They took the bowls of soup and rice from Pei Yan, their mouths watering at the aroma of the meat.

Dahei and the others were already waiting under the eaves, barking impatiently.

Gu Lansi scooped some meat broth and a piece of meat into each of their feeding bowls, adding a few coarse buns. Only with both food and drink would they be satisfied.

The feeding bowls were inside the kitchen, and Huaihuai and Huazai kept circling the door.

Because Huazai had been scalded once before, he had learned to be cautious. With Pei Yan's stern command, none of them dared to enter the kitchen.

When Gu Lansi came out with chopsticks, he closed the kitchen door to prevent the dogs from sneaking in to eat the still-hot food.

As soon as the door closed, Huaihuai let out a whine, standing guard in front of the door, unwilling to leave.

Gu Lansi didn't indulge him, running into the outer room, slightly damp from the drizzle, but it didn't matter.

Xingxing sat in his cradle beside the table, reaching out with his little hands as if trying to stand up, but falling back onto his chubby bottom.

The meat broth was delicious. Gu Lansi first picked up a piece of wild greens, slightly bitter but with a sweet aftertaste, filling his mouth with the fresh scent of the greens—perfect for the summer, very refreshing.

Pei Yan never fussed about food, but he clearly had his preferences, eating more meat than vegetables.

The chunks of meat were leaner than fatty, not greasy at all. The ribs were so tender that the meat fell off with a bite, and sucking the juices from the bones was incredibly satisfying.

The tender tips of the wild greens, infused with the meat broth, were also very tasty.

They ate heartily, while Liu Daguo and Zhou Dalang focused on their meal, saying nothing. Such a feast of meat was rare at home, and they felt fortunate to share this treat with their employer. Even just drinking the meat broth was deeply satisfying.

The two pots of meat were slightly different. Since Pei Yan preferred meat, Gu Lansi naturally served him first, but the laborers' portions weren't lacking either, with both meat chunks and ribs, and plenty of rice.

It wouldn't be fair to let them watch without eating.

Gu Lansi picked up his bowl, adding a piece of meat and a vegetable, letting the meat juice seep into the grains of rice, taking a big bite, and his eyes curved into a smile.

"Eat," Pei Yan called out to the yard.

Dahei pushed open the kitchen door with his head first, followed closely by Huaihuai and Huazai, who rushed to their feeding bowls and gobbled down their food.