Chapter 27

Chapter 27

With the beam-raising ceremony concluded, it was time to start the feast.

The men gathered around three tables, while the women and their husbands with children sat at two tables, each filled with seven or eight people.

The borrowed tables were small, about knee-high for adults, and most people sat on benches, though some used wooden stools or even stones. It was uncertain whether larger towns used taller tables and chairs.

As dishes were brought out one by one, everyone eagerly reached for their chopsticks, eating until their mouths were greasy!

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that this meal was like a battle. Chopsticks clashed as they tried to get every piece of meat into their own bowls.

There was no concept of politeness or etiquette; they rarely had the chance to eat something oily throughout the year, so they took full advantage of this opportunity to fill their bellies.

Lu Yao feared that the two children wouldn't get any meat, so he saved two chicken legs for Xiaonian and Xiaodou in the kitchen beforehand.

Not only did they eat more meat than usual, but they also finished all the vegetables, especially the scrambled eggs with leeks and the tofu mixed with scallions. As they ate, they praised, "I wonder which wife made these dishes today. Her skills are good enough to open a restaurant!"

"It's Zhao's husband."

"Wow, Da Chuan, you're lucky!"

Zhao Beichuan nodded and turned to look at Lu Yao, who had rolled up his sleeves and was fighting with a group of women over the chicken butt, causing him to laugh.

In his past life, Lu Yao had never eaten such things. Whenever his family cooked, he never saw them. But times had changed, and he heard that the chicken butt was rich in fat, providing a burst of oil in every bite. He needed to build up his thin frame!

The meal lasted from noon until the afternoon. The women and their husbands left after finishing their meals, leaving only two tables of men drinking endlessly.

Lu's mother, along with Lu Yun and Lu Miao, helped clean up the tables and wash the dishes. Today, her family members had come, except for her second daughter-in-law, Hu Chunrong.

Perhaps she still harbored resentment from previous conflicts, but Lu Yao didn't pay much attention.

After cleaning up, Lu's mother asked Third Brother and Fourth Brother to take Xiaonian and Xiaodou out to play, while she pulled Lu Yao into the kitchen for a private chat.

"How much did this meal cost? I saw quite a bit of meat in those bowls," Lu's mother said, her face showing concern.

"Not much, it was all arranged by Da Chuan."

"Oh, I heard from your father that you're selling tofu. How's that going?"

Lu Yao pointed to the sacks of beans piled up behind him. "It's going well, but we've been busy building the house lately, so there have been occasional delays."

"You really can endure hardship. When your father first mentioned it, I thought you were just fooling around again."

"Mama, don't always judge me based on my past. Your son has changed a lot."

Lu's mother looked him up and down. "You have changed a lot, almost unrecognizable."

Lu Yao was startled, thinking she might have noticed the change within him.

"But it's good that you've improved. Mama is happy for you. Live well and stop worrying me."

Lu Yao breathed a sigh of relief, not daring to say anything more.

"By the way, Mama, take this money back." This was the money for the roof beams, which Zhao Beichuan gave to Lu's father in the morning, but he refused, saying they had enough money and should use it first.

Lu's mother waved her hand. "You just finished building the house and don't have much money. Keep this money for yourselves and give it back when you can."

"Take it. My sister-in-law is already upset. If she finds out we used the beams for free, she'll surely cause trouble."

Lu's mother sighed and accepted the money. "Don't take her seriously. She's not a bad person."

Lu Yao recalled the foolish things his original self had done and couldn't help but smile. "I know. I was immature before and upset her a lot. I'll apologize to her someday."

Lu's mother patted Lu Yao's arm. "Yao'er, you've truly grown up. Seeing you like this makes me so happy." Her eyes welled up with tears. "Live well with Da Chuan. Have you had any news yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Hurry up. While I'm still healthy, have a few kids. If you can't manage, bring them to me, and I'll help look after them. It's just a matter of feeding a few more mouths."

Lu Yao felt a warm current in his heart and held her hand. "Mama, you're so kind. When I make money in the future, I'll buy you gold hairpins and silver bracelets and take you to live in a big house in the city."

Lu's mother laughed at his promises. "If you just stop causing trouble, I'll be satisfied."

The men continued drinking until late afternoon. Lu's mother couldn't sit still anymore and went to the front yard several times to urge them to disperse.

Lu's father had drunk too much again, swaying as he stood up, holding onto Zhao Beichuan's arm and praising him, "Good boy, Lu Yao... marrying you was the right choice."

"Ah, Father, please be careful." Zhao Beichuan and Lu Lin helped him sit down on a nearby stool.

"I'm fine, I'm not drunk. I'm just happy! My son-in-law built a new house!"

"That's enough! You forget your name when you drink. Let's go home!" Lu's mother called back Lu Yun and Lu Miao, asking Lu Lin to help him home.

"Mama, maybe let Father sober up a bit before leaving." Lu Yao packed the leftover tofu and eggs into a basket for her to take home.

"It's okay. With so many people around, he won't fall. Go ahead and do what you need to do."

"Alright, be careful on the way."

After sending off his in-laws, Zhao Beichuan returned the cleaned tables and dishes to their respective homes.

The new house was uninhabitable for now since the roof hadn't been thatched yet, so they would have to stay in the kitchen for a couple more days.

Lu Yao was exhausted from the day's work, his back aching and his legs sore. He didn't even have time to soak the beans and decided to rest the next day, skipping tofu sales.

When Zhao Beichuan entered the room, he found Lu Yao lying on a straw mat, groaning.

"Tired?"

"Yeah, can you massage my back?" Lu Yao casually asked, and to his surprise, Zhao Beichuan actually started massaging him, albeit with a bit too much force, making his insides churn.

"Gently, gently. How about you massage my legs instead? They're sore."

Zhao Beichuan blushed as he placed his hands on Lu Yao's calves. Through the thin fabric, his body heat instantly transferred.

Lu Yao's heart raced, and images of less-than-healthy scenarios flooded his mind. In his past life, he had seen a film where a massage led to... well, a heated encounter.

Hehehe~ Lu Yao couldn't help but swallow, but despite waiting, Zhao Beichuan's hands remained perfectly behaved, only rubbing his knees.

Lu Yao couldn't help but squirm. Was his butt not sexy enough?

Zhao Beichuan paused, then slapped his leg lightly. "Go to bed early. I'm going to the outhouse."

Lu Yao huffed and turned over. Zhao Beichuan, I see through you; you're just not capable!

"Gurgle—" Suddenly, his stomach growled, followed by a sharp pain. His stomach, unused to such a feast, had started to protest, leading to diarrhea.

It's true that a dog can't hold more than a bit of sesame oil in its belly; Lu Yao made six or seven trips to the toilet during the night, emptying everything he had eaten at noon.

*

After the main beam is set, there's still work to be done: setting up the rafters, splitting bamboo strips, and laying down thatch.

Thatching is a skilled job, one that most people can't do. Lu Guangsheng, being an experienced master, naturally took charge of the Zhao family's roof. Over the next few days, he began working on the roof.

The rafters were made from pine boards as wide as a child's arm, laid out neatly. Once the rafters were in place, they started splitting bamboo strips.

First, they sawed the bamboo into sections, then split them repeatedly until they were as thin as a little finger. After splitting the strips, they climbed onto the roof and wove them together, binding them to the rafters below.

The final step was to use a pole to spread open the gaps and insert the pre-selected thatch evenly, then beat it down with a comb board to make it firm. With this, the thatched roof was complete! Such roofs are good for insulation, keeping the house warm in winter and cool in summer, and preventing rain from seeping through. The only downside is that the thatch can rot over time, requiring annual repairs.

With the roof in place, the house was officially finished.

The remaining tasks—building the stove and installing windows and doors—Zhao Beichuan could handle himself. It took him three or four days to complete these jobs.

The windows used by common folk in this era were different from those seen in TV dramas. They were simply wooden panels that could be removed when the weather was good and sealed shut when it was bad, leaving the room dark and without any light.

*

In the morning, after selling tofu, Lu Yao returned to see Xiaonian and Xiaodou sweeping the new house.

"Brother-in-law, my elder brother said we can move back today!"

"Great, I'll take out the mats and air them for you." Lu Yao washed his hands, took out the rolled-up mats, and laid them out to dry in the courtyard. He also brought out their quilts to air them as well.

The old furniture had already been moved into the new house. When the old house collapsed, one of the chests was damaged but was repaired and could still be used. The chest of drawers was beyond repair; both sides were broken, so it would be better to make a new one.

The old kitchen cabinet was moved into the new kitchen, along with two jars that Zhao Beichuan carried in.

The new kitchen had two stoves: one for daily cooking and another specifically for making tofu.

Looking at the spacious new house, Lu Yao felt it was quite empty. "Zhao Beichuan, let's go to town later and sell some beans to buy some household items."

Zhao Beichuan put down his hammer. "Sure, I'll go borrow a cart."

They now had nearly five or six stones of beans, which they had to store in sacks because they had no proper storage space. However, the kitchen was infested with rats, and every night they could hear the sound of gnawing.

If this continued, all their hard-earned beans would eventually be eaten by the rats!

Soon, Zhao Beichuan borrowed a flatbed cart from the Qin family. This cart was meant for animals, but Zhao Beichuan didn't dare ask to borrow a mule, given how expensive they were and the risk of damage.

Lu Yao steadied the cart while Zhao Beichuan loaded the sacks of beans onto it, then tied ropes around them and pulled the cart.

"Can you manage? Should we load less?"

"It's fine, not heavy." Zhao Beichuan exerted himself and lifted the cart, with Lu Yao nervously following closely behind, worried he might be crushed by the load.

"When we have money, let's buy a mule first!"

"Okay."

"And make a wooden cart so I can drive the mule to sell tofu."

"Sure."

Lu Yao looked at him and saw sweat trickling down his temples. He quickly wiped it off with his sleeve.

Zhao Beichuan, blushing, quickened his pace, pulling the cart swiftly.

Lu Yao sighed; this guy was like an animal, full of endless energy.

*

Upon reaching the town, they went straight to the grain shop.

As soon as they stopped, a young apprentice from the shop ran over. "Sir, buying or selling grains?"

Lu Yao asked, "Do you buy beans? How much per stone?"

"The price for old beans is forty-five coins per stone."

That came down to forty-five coins per dou, which was too low. They bought beans for fifty coins per dou in the village!

"Can't you offer a higher price?"

The apprentice smiled. "We can't raise the price. We're the only ones buying old beans. You can check elsewhere if you find a better deal."

There were only two grain shops in town, and rumor had it they were owned by the same person. There was no point in checking elsewhere.

Having gone through the trouble of bringing the beans, they couldn't just take them back. Lu Yao reluctantly agreed, "Please weigh the beans on the cart. Sell four stones for cash, and exchange the rest for millet." They had run out of rice and couldn't keep trading indefinitely.

"Sure thing." The apprentice called out, and two helpers came to unload the beans. The shop had a large scale for weighing grains. Six sacks of beans totaled five stones and three dous, exchanged for one thousand six hundred coins and one stone of millet.

Lu Yao suspected their scales were inaccurate, but without evidence, arguing would only result in the shop refusing to buy the beans, leaving him worse off. He swallowed his frustration.

Leaving the grain shop, Lu Yao couldn't help but say, "This grain shop is such a rip-off. We'll have to deal with them regularly, and it's so annoying."

Zhao Beichuan, feeling helpless, comforted him, "Earning one thousand six hundred coins and a bag of millet in half a month is impressive. No one in the village earns as much as you do."

Lu Yao couldn't help smiling at the praise. "Well, it's okay. Most of the tofu was ground by you, so you deserve half the credit."

After their mutual compliments, they both laughed.

There were still many things they needed to buy, but the money they had wasn't enough.

The weather was getting colder, and Lu Yao thought about buying clothes for everyone to avoid catching colds, which would cost even more.

They went to the cloth shop and bought twenty feet of coarse cotton cloth for three hundred coins. They also needed to replace the hemp cloth used for making tofu, so they bought ten feet of it for sixty coins.

Ancient merchants were indeed rigid; they wouldn't give any discounts or haggle over prices.

Leaving the shop, Lu Yao realized that Qiushui Town had only one cloth shop, and they could charge whatever they wanted since others would still buy from them.

He began to miss online shopping from his previous life, where he could compare prices and have goods delivered within two days, with the option to return them if unsatisfied.

At the pharmacy, they bought ten pounds of cold water stone for fifty coins. This ingredient was essential for making tofu, so buying in bulk would save them trips to town.

Then they went to the oil shop. Their supply of oil was running low, so they needed to buy more. In this era, common folk mainly used rapeseed oil, while the wealthy could afford lard.

A small jar of rapeseed oil cost one hundred thirty coins, enough to last them two months if used sparingly.

With everything bought, they prepared to head home. Just before leaving the town, Lu Yao spotted someone selling bed mats on the street and hurried over to inquire about the price.

One mat cost eighty-five coins, and after some negotiation, he bought it for eighty coins.

"Why did you buy a new mat?" Zhao Beichuan asked, puzzled.

Lu Yao rolled his eyes. "Can we keep living in the same room with Xiaodou and Xiaonian? One mat isn't enough."

Zhao Beichuan blushed, thinking of something, and pulled the cart away, running swiftly.

Lu Yao said with a mischievous tone, "What's wrong? You don't want to consummate our marriage?"

"No, no."

"Then why are you running? Are you shy? There's no need to be; everyone goes through this. Besides, we've been married for so long, and no one would laugh at us sleeping together."

Zhao Beichuan remained silent, his heart pounding as if it might leap out of his chest, and blood began to rush to places he couldn't mention.

"Or... do you not know how to do it?" Lu Yao couldn't help but laugh. It was understandable, after all; ancient people didn't have computers or TVs, and Zhao Beichuan couldn't even read, let alone understand those naughty books. Maybe he had guessed right!

Zhao Beichuan stopped, gritting his teeth, "Lu Yao, just wait until tonight!" Then he strode into the village.

Lu Yao, walking behind, paused, clutching his chest, his heart fluttering. Could he finally experience life after two lifetimes?

Heaven above, earth below! You've finally opened your eyes!

The two didn't speak on the way back. When they arrived home, they put away their purchases and laid down new mats. By the time dinner was over, Lu Yao started feeling nervous.

Although he was lustful, thinking about it and actually doing it were two different things. He had heard that the first time could be painful. Should he wait a bit longer?

Just as he was frowning in worry, Zhao Xiaonian and Zhao Xiaodou ran over with their pillows.

"Sister-in-law, why did you move our bedding to the front room?"

"Aren't you going to sleep with us anymore?"

Lu Yao cleared his throat, "I must have put it in the wrong place while cleaning. Move it back quickly and get ready for bed."

"Okay!" The two children brought their bedding over and laid it next to Lu Yao.

When Zhao Beichuan entered the room, seeing his siblings already asleep, he felt a twinge of disappointment.

He climbed onto the bed and lay on the edge, looking past the children at Lu Yao's profile, his heart racing again at the memory of what he had said earlier.

Forget it, let's wait until after winter.

Zhao Beichuan blew out the oil lamp and prepared to sleep, but suddenly heard rustling beside him. Opening his eyes, he saw Lu Yao pulling the children's bedding.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh, don't wake them up. I'm coming to sleep on your side."

Zhao Beichuan's Adam's apple bobbed as he watched Lu Yao roll up his bedding, push Xiaonian and Xiaodou to the edge, and happily lay his own bedding next to him.

Satisfied, Lu Yao patted his quilt from inside, thinking it was much better now; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to touch those abs at night.

"Zhao Beichuan, are you asleep?"

...

"Not answering means you're asleep, oh~"

...

A warm little hand skillfully slipped into the adjacent quilt, caressing the bulging abs. Seeing no reaction, it mischievously grabbed Little Beichuan.

Zhao Beichuan grunted softly, grabbing the wandering hand, "Go to sleep!"