Chapter 168: No Regrets

Chapter 168: No Regrets

On New Year's Eve, after the New Year’s dinner, Zhao Xiping and Sui Liang each carried two torches and went out.

Sui Yu was still in her lying-in period, so she could only stay at home, listening to the resounding drumbeats and lively laughter, sitting at the foot of the bed and entertaining her lively baby.

"Madam, I'll be by the kitchen stove. If the baby needs changing, just call me," Yin Po said as she reached the door.

"Didn't I tell you to go out and have fun?" Sui Yu turned her head to look outside and said, "I don't need anyone here. Your brother will be back soon. You and Dream Mom should go out and enjoy yourselves, and have some roasted meat at the guesthouse. It only happens once a year."

"We're old, we can't eat meat at night, and we don't like the noise; it gives us headaches," Yin Po rubbed her hands and said, "It's cold at night, but staying home by the fire is more comfortable. The water is boiling on the stove, Madam. If you need to drink or use it, just call out."

Sui Yu didn't insist, saying, "Then while you're roasting by the fire, roast a couple of diapers too. He eats a lot and pees a lot these days, and with no good weather, we don't have enough diapers to change."

"Alright."

During the New Year, other people's eaves were hung with cured meat or dried vegetables, but Sui Yu's eaves were hung with diapers and children's clothes. The diapers would freeze solid, stiff and hard, and if not roasted by the fire, they would take three or four days to dry.

The baby in the swaddling clothes made a cooing sound, and Sui Yu came back to her senses, continuing to cover her face with a scarf and play with him by lifting and lowering it.

The drumbeats carried by the wind became more urgent, and the baby opened his eyes wide, looking curious.

"Do you understand? What can a little one like you understand?" Sui Yu tilted her head to meet his gaze, picked up the baby happily, and said, "Next year at this time, I'll take you and your father to dance the Nuo dance... Oh, you little one, you haven't even been a month old yet, and you're already celebrating the New Year."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Sui Yu heard Yin Po standing in the courtyard asking who it was. Soon, the door opened, and Zhao Xiaomi and Song Xian came in.

"I met Auntie outside the city and thought I'd come to see you," Zhao Xiaomi took off her sheepskin coat, which smelled of wood smoke, and hung it outside before stepping in quickly.

Song Xian followed closely behind.

"The baby isn't asleep yet. Come, let Auntie hold him," Zhao Xiaomi extended her arms.

Sui Yu handed the baby to her and turned to Song Xian, saying, "It's lively at the guesthouse tonight. I heard from Liang that the merchants bought four large rams for tonight's roasted lamb. Why don't you go and check it out?"

Song Xian was interested. This would be a good opportunity to build connections with the merchants, making it easier for her to sell camels in the spring.

"When Zhao Xiping comes back, let him take you and Liang over," Sui Yu said.

"Lianzheng is outside; I'll have him take me," Song Xian stood up and said, "You're almost out of your lying-in period. I'll come to see you again in a few days."

"Alright, on the third day of the first month, I'll invite you both for a meal." After speaking, Sui Yu realized something and looked at Xiaomi, asking, "Is your husband outside? Didn't he come in?"

"He didn't come in. Don't worry about him; he likes to freeze outside," Zhao Xiaomi said irritably.

Sui Yu laughed, "What happened? Did you have an argument?"

"Just a few words, nothing serious," Zhao Xiaomi didn't want to worry her brother and sister-in-law, and besides, it wasn't a big deal, so she didn't elaborate.

Since she didn't want to talk about it, Sui Yu didn't press further. It was normal for couples to have verbal spats.

"My little nephew looks so good, so fair and tender. His nose is a nose, his eyes are eyes, and his chubby cheeks are so soft I want to pinch them."

"Go ahead and pinch them. If you do, your Third Brother will chase you home and pinch them back," Sui Yu smiled.

"I believe that," Zhao Xiaomi also smiled, touched the baby's cheek, and said, "If I could have a child like this, it would be wonderful."

"Are you pregnant?" Sui Yu asked.

Zhao Xiaomi shook her head, "Not yet."

"Then be careful. If your period doesn't come, pay attention and avoid heavy work," Sui Yu advised.

Zhao Xiaomi nodded.

Suddenly, the baby started wriggling, his face full of distress, whimpering and about to cry. Zhao Xiaomi quickly handed him over.

In Sui Yu's arms, he immediately swallowed his cries.

He must be hungry, Sui Yu urged Zhao Xiaomi to go to the kitchen to warm herself.

"We're all women; what do you have that I don't? Why hide it?" Zhao Xiaomi muttered but obediently went out.

Sui Yu sat in the bed, lifted her clothes, and breastfed the baby. As he fed, she played with his feet, each of them busy with their own tasks.

Just as she finished feeding, Zhao Xiping returned, bringing a roasted lamb leg with him. Seeing that Sui Yu was still awake, he went to the kitchen to heat the lamb leg.

"Isn't Lianzheng back with you?" Zhao Xiaomi asked.

"Him? Did he come looking for me? I didn't see him," Zhao Xiping glanced at her and asked, "Did he need something?"

"Maybe he took a different path. He took Auntie to the guesthouse."

"After eating the lamb leg, I'll take you back. He took her to the guesthouse and will have to take her back. By the time he returns to the city, it will be almost dawn," Zhao Xiping handed the lamb leg to Zhao Xiaomi and said, "Watch it and don't let it burn. Your nephew probably needs changing. I'll go wash his bottom."

Sui Yu was responsible for breastfeeding the baby, but most of the time, Zhao Xiping took care of everything else—changing diapers, cleaning up vomit, soothing the baby when he woke up at night, and comforting him when he cried.

The door creaked softly, and the baby, who was almost asleep with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them wide again. Sui Yu sighed, "You really have bad timing. Wait a bit longer, and he would have been asleep."

"No problem, I'll get him to sleep again," Zhao Xiping smiled, picked up the baby, and said in a sweet voice, "Son, were you waiting for Dad to come back?"

Sui Yu rubbed her arms, feeling cold, and goosebumps appeared. She pulled the quilt over herself, lying down and watching Zhao Xiping walk around the room with their son.

The baby fell asleep again, and Zhao Xiping gently laid him down, undid the swaddling, and went out to fetch water.

"Ugh!" Sui Yu pinched her nose.

Zhao Xiping glanced at her and said, "You're being picky."

Sui Yu ignored him, pinched her nose, held her breath, and when she couldn't breathe anymore, she burrowed under the quilt to breathe.

Zhao Xiping pulled back the quilt and kissed her fiercely, then placed the swaddled baby in her arms, covering the mother and child with the quilt. He opened the windows and doors to let the air circulate.

"Third Brother, the lamb leg is dripping oil again," Zhao Xiaomi said softly as she approached.

"The smell of roasted mutton is strong; don’t bring it inside. I’ll eat in the kitchen," Sui Yu said, lifting the quilt.

"Ah!" Zhao Xiping hurriedly tried to close the windows and doors. "The wind will come in, quickly get under the covers."

"It’s only three days until the full month. It won’t affect anything." Sui Yu felt her body had recovered, no different from a normal person. Just these last three days of going out shouldn’t matter much.

Zhao Xiping had already closed the windows and doors. Turning around, he saw Sui Yu putting on her padded jacket, as if afraid of being stopped, she dressed very quickly, not waiting for him to speak before getting out of bed.

"Come on, your son is asleep. Let’s go eat the roasted lamb leg," Sui Yu said energetically.

Zhao Xiping sighed, "I shouldn’t have brought that lamb leg back."

While saying this, he went to the wooden chest and took out a thin quilt used during spring and autumn, draping it over Sui Yu’s head and wrapping her up. Then he turned around to pick up the baby, finally leading Sui Yu out of the door.

Sui Yu, wrapped in the quilt, asked vaguely, "Why are you bringing the baby?"

"What if he cries and I can’t hear him?"

"You’re really becoming another Uncle Old Niu," Sui Yu shook her head.

The lamb leg was already sliced, and Zhao Xiaomi was roasting pancakes. The sesame seed pancakes were especially fragrant when heated, crispy and aromatic with each bite.

Sui Yu chewed on the sesame seed pancake, using chopsticks to wrap the lamb meat in the pancake, stuffing her mouth full of the meat and pancake. The crispness of the pancake and the richness of the meat became more flavorful with each chew.

Zhao Xiping, holding the baby, couldn’t roll the pancake himself, so Sui Yu rolled the meat pancake and fed him. The couple took turns eating, making Zhao Xiaomi lose her appetite.

A knock came at the door. Yin Po put down her chopsticks to open it, and Huang Lianzheng arrived.

"Brother-in-law, come and eat the lamb," Sui Yu called out.

"I’ve eaten at the inn. I had lamb and a plate of cold noodles, I’m full," Huang Lianzheng said as he entered. "I came to take Xiaomi back."

"Everyone is eating cold noodles?" Zhao Xiping asked.

"Yes, the merchants got too hot by the fire and found the lamb greasy, so they asked the kitchen to make cold noodles," Huang Lianzheng nodded, looking at Xiaomi. "Are you full?"

Zhao Xiaomi put down her chopsticks and said, "Sister-in-law, Third Brother, I’ll come back on the third day of the first month."

"Alright, I won’t see you off," Sui Yu stood up but didn’t move towards the door.

"No need to see us off, we’re family. Why be so formal?" Zhao Xiaomi put on her sheepskin coat and asked, "Has Little Aunt come back yet?"

"Not yet, Uncle Second went to fetch her, I’ll come back to pick you up," Huang Lianzheng said.

After the young couple left, Sui Yu and Zhao Xiping continued eating. Five people had only eaten half a lamb leg, leaving the other half for stewing later.

"Did you pay for this?" Sui Yu put down her chopsticks. "I’m done. Do you want more?"

Zhao Xiping waved his hand, "It was given by the merchants, not bought."

They left the leftovers for Yin Po and Dream Mom to clean up. Sui Yu carried a basin of hot water back to the room, washed her hands and face, and sat back on the bed.

Unable to sleep right away, Sui Yu talked to Zhao Xiping about the full moon banquet. Because many relatives would visit on the third day of the first month, he wouldn’t invite his colleagues, just inform them and explain that he wasn’t inviting guests or accepting gifts.

...

On the third day of the first month, shortly after breakfast, Zhao Xiaomi and Huang Lianzheng arrived first. She brought new clothes and a hat for the baby, which Sui Yu immediately put on him.

Seeing her sister-in-law liked the clothes and hat, Zhao Xiaomi smiled broadly and worked extra hard in the kitchen.

Uncle Old Niu also came, leading A’shui, carrying a basket of eggs and a piece of pork. When Zhao Xiaomi came to pick them up, he laughed and said, "Let you do all the work, we’ll just sit and eat."

"I’m the aunt, it’s my duty to help. Uncle, please sit," Zhao Xiaomi said politely.

From the military settlement, Dongzi’s Mother, La Mei, and Aunt Sun all came, each bringing a fish or half a chicken, like they were sharing a meal together without giving money, thus not needing to return the favor later.

Song Xian’s family came late. She had made a set of winter clothes and a hat for the baby, "I estimated the size, try it on and see if it fits."

"It fits," Sui Yu compared the clothes to the baby and said, "It’s a bit big, but he can wear it for two more months. He’s growing fast."

"I told you, this child will be tall," Song Xian held the baby, who frowned when placed in her arms. She laughed, "Recognizing people already? I can’t hold him?"

Sui Yu smiled and didn’t take the baby back. The little one seemed to read the situation; with no one paying attention, he calmed down.

"On New Year’s Eve, I closed three deals," Song Xian remembered excitedly and whispered, "Sold twelve camels, and someone wanted the camel I kept for you, but I didn’t sell it."

Sui Yu raised an eyebrow. She thought Song Xian was just talking casually before, but now realized she was serious.

"Do you plan to start trading next year?" Song Xian whispered.

"Probably. After the first month, I’ll train some people in archery and martial arts. If it works out, I want to make a trip inside the pass first," Sui Yu looked at the baby, who was about to fall asleep again, and reached to take him.

"Can you bear it?" Song Xian asked.

"I won’t be away all year. At first, I won’t go far, coming back every three or four months. Most of the time, I’ll still be home with him," Sui Yu gently patted the swaddled baby. "Look at those merchants, none of them stay home all year. And look at A’shui, she’s doing well with Uncle Old Niu. There’s no such thing as bearing or not bearing; everyone has their own responsibilities."