Chapter 57

Chapter 57

On the 18th of June, it was Song Shian's birthday. Jiang Chun prepared a table of delicious dishes and even made him longevity noodles. The three members of the family celebrated heartily.

The county magistrate, Liu Zhengheng, was quite the people person. He even knew about Song Shian's birthday and secretly sent a birthday gift through Zheng Yi, which consisted of a set of the four treasures of the study and a few newly published books by the imperial court.

Song Shian didn't refuse and accepted the gift directly.

After his birthday, apart from practicing swordsmanship twice a day, Song Shian devoted the rest of his time to painting. He finally managed to complete Jiang Chun's birthday gift, "Planting Soybeans," just in time for her birthday.

When he heard that Song Shian was going to paint "Planting Soybeans" as her birthday gift, Jiang Chun was happy. After all, his paintings were valuable. However, she wasn't particularly excited.

Although she was a web novel writer, she didn't have much literary sophistication and had never been to high-end events like art exhibitions. She didn't have much ability to appreciate paintings.

But when she saw "Planting Soybeans," she was utterly shocked.

The background of the painting was their three-acre field. In front was the flowing Western River, and behind was a mountain of moderate height, covered with lush chestnut trees and some shrubs.

Two people were standing in the field. One was Jiang He, holding a shovel, with a newly dug small pit in front of him.

The other was Jiang Chun, holding a wooden ladle filled with soybeans in one hand, while two soybeans were falling from her other hand toward the small pit on the ground.

The figures in the painting were lifelike, needless to say.

Most importantly, both of them were looking toward the viewer, smiling, as if a close person had called out to them from outside the painting.

At that moment, Jiang Chun understood why Liu Zhengheng would risk offending the Liu family to help settle matters with Liu Qitan for Song Shian's paintings and why he was willing to pay an additional 1,500 taels for another painting by Song Shian.

A true masterpiece by a renowned artist is so unique that even if you lack literary sophistication or appreciation ability, you can immediately tell it's extraordinary.

Who wouldn't want to own such a masterpiece?

Jiang Chun felt she had hit the jackpot to receive such a timeless painting as a birthday gift.

Song Shian, however, modestly said with a light cough, "I'm only so-so at painting portraits. My master wouldn't let me paint too many because he said it would make my style too mechanical unless I wanted to become a court painter and paint portraits for the imperial family."

Jiang Chun gave him a side-eye. Was he really being that humble?

Seeing himself in the painting, Jiang He was overjoyed. "Thanks to my son-in-law, otherwise, I, a countryside butcher, would probably never have the chance to be painted into a picture in my life."

The father and daughter both loved the painting immensely. Despite the hot weather, Jiang Chun drove her mule cart to Hongye County again and had the painting mounted by a professional at a calligraphy and painting shop.

After bringing it back, she couldn't bear to hang it. Instead, she rolled up the scroll, placed it in a new camphor wood box with anti-moth functionality, locked it with a large iron lock, and hid the box at the bottom of her clothes chest.

She hid it more securely than the family's silver notes.

This left Song Shian both amused and exasperated. "There's no need to be so dramatic. If it really were stolen by thieves, I could just paint you another one."

Jiang Chun gave him a side-eye. "Year after year, the flowers may look the same, but the people change. Even if you painted another one, the mood wouldn't be the same as it was then.

With a different mood, even if the content of the painting is the same, the artwork can't be entirely the same."

Song Shian looked at her for a good while before a faint smile appeared on his lips, teasing her, "My dear, the profound words you can come up with really impress me."

Playing it cool, quoting Tang dynasty poets off the top of her head, how could she pretend to be illiterate with a straight face?

But he could only play dumb and didn't dare expose her.

Mainly because exposing her would be pointless. She would always find reasons to cover up, like saying she heard the poem when scholars recited it in town, and so on.

Then she would turn the tables, accusing him of doubting her, being ungrateful, and forgetting the good he'd done for her.

To calm her "fury," he would have to apologize and make amends, even offering some unspeakable compensations with his lips.

Why bother?

Due to the bumper wheat harvest and the gradual return of refugees to Prefecture Qi, grain prices in Prefecture Qi finally began to slowly drop.

*

With summer in full swing and wild vegetables growing lushly in the fields, farmers were getting restless and wanted to raise pigs again. Many families tried their best to get piglets to raise.

Piglets needed to be castrated to grow faster, so the unemployed Jiang Chun and her father went back to work, resuming their old profession of pig castration.

Especially Jiang Chun, who was the best pig castrator in the area. Every day, people came to her for pig castration.

She earned ten wen for castrating a piglet, and from the end of June, Jiang Chun could make thirty to forty wen daily.

Time flew by as she busily castrated pigs, and before she knew it, it was the Mid-Autumn Festival of that year.

Jiang He had struggled to get a single pig, and after many days, the Jiang family's meat stall was set up again. The wealthy and common folk from the town rushed over as soon as they heard the news. In just half an hour, all the pork from the pig was snapped up.

Even the pig's blood and the bones, which had been cleaned of every last bit of meat, were all bought without a single piece left.

This shows that whether in modern or ancient times, regardless of being poor or wealthy, people attach the same importance to the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions.

Jiang Chun carried two portions of meat that had been reserved in advance, two jin each, along with two jars of wine, two jin of mooncakes, and two packs of tea, to deliver to her uncle's and aunt's families.

Zheng Yi accepted the pork and handed her five jin of mutton and a box of mooncakes from the top-notch Xiangzhai in the county, telling her to take it back and eat it.

With a smiling face, he said, "These are leftovers from preparing gifts for your Peng and Kun cousins' teacher. Take it back and share it with your husband."

Of course, this was just a humble gesture. Not to mention the mutton, which was twice as expensive as pork, the mooncakes from Xiangzhai alone cost as much as two taels of silver per box. Even affluent Zheng Yi felt the pinch buying them, so how could there be any leftovers?

Strangely enough, her uncle had somehow been persuaded by someone to hire an old scholar to teach her much older cousins, Peng and Kun, to read and write.

He even said that once they had learned enough characters, he would send them to learn skills at the shops of wealthy families in the county seat.

It was as if he had no intention of letting them inherit his own trade of slaughtering pigs and selling meat.

Jiang Chun couldn't say much about this. Although the butcher's profession earned more than ordinary folks, it wasn't exactly glorious.

Moreover, it wasn't a stable income. For instance, when famine struck, butchers like them couldn't get pigs and had to close shop helplessly.

If her cousins could become literate, learn accounting, and manage shops, they could become stewards for wealthy families, or her uncle could open shops for them, both of which would be good prospects.

After leaving Zheng Yi's house, she went to the Wang family.

Wang Yiner, who had been recuperating for more than half a year under Jiang Liu's careful care, could now walk a few steps with assistance, like a toddler learning to walk.

Injured bones take a hundred days to heal, and given the severity of her injury, it was a miracle that she could stand and walk after just half a year.

Wang Yiner was optimistic and even told Jiang Chun, "A while ago, I asked Dr. Cao to re-examine me. He said I was recovering very well and that with regular activity, I might be able to walk on my own without assistance in a year or so."

Of course, Dr. Cao had another thing he didn't say.

"However, because your injury was so severe, it's impossible to fully recover. You won't be able to walk long distances or do heavy work.

And, it's best not to get pregnant or have children, or you might end up paralyzed on the kang, unable to stand again."

Wang Yiner cried behind people's backs and later cried again when Liu Er Guniang came to visit her, which made Liu Er Guniang cry as well and leave her with a large sum of one hundred taels of silver.

After that, she let it go.

As long as she could live and not be paralyzed, not having children was fine. With money, she could find an adopted son to take care of her in her old age.

Of course, she needed to be careful in choosing an adopted son and not end up like her aunt, Liu Pozi, who raised an ungrateful son and ended up with nothing.

Unaware of the full story, Jiang Chun was genuinely happy for Wang Yiner. "That's wonderful. Remember to exercise walking every day so your bones don't atrophy.

But don't rush it. Too much activity might be too much for your newly healed bones."

Wang Yiner smiled and said, "I know, sister. I'll take it easy."

Jiang Liu chimed in, "Sister, don't worry. I'll keep an eye on Cousin Yiner."

Jiang Chun's advice was just a formality. Someone as intelligent and independent as Wang Yiner didn't really need her to worry.

After all, during the more than half a year Wang Yiner had been recovering at home, she hadn't used any of the money and items she had entrusted to her. Recently, she even gave her another hundred taels of silver.

That showed her capability.

After returning home, Jiang Chun braised the pig's head and innards and then began preparing the evening's Mid-Autumn family feast.

There were eight dishes as usual: braised pork ribs, stir-fried chicken, lamb stewed with radish, dry-fried green beans, scrambled eggs with chives, garlic amaranth, stir-fried lettuce with mushrooms, and a plate of braised meat.

Song Shian had never eaten wild vegetables before and praised the garlic amaranth dish highly, abandoning his usual reserve and eating most of it.

As a cook, Jiang Chun was extremely proud to see someone enjoy her dishes so much.

Feeling proud, she drank a few more cups of wine than she should have.

When Song Shian noticed, her cheeks were flushed, and her speech was slurred.

He immediately grabbed the wine cup from her and said sternly, "You can't drink anymore. You'll have a headache tomorrow if you do."

Jiang Chun, of course, refused to listen and protested, "I'm not drunk. Why can't I drink? Give me the wine cup back. I want to drink a few more rounds with Father."

Jiang He drained his wine cup and then poured the last bit of wine from the jar into his cup, shaking the empty jar at Jiang Chun. "No more wine."

Jiang Chun muttered discontentedly, "How is it gone already? That was way too easy to finish!"

Song Shian rinsed a small wine cup and poured her a cup of tea instead, coaxing her, "Drinking tea with dad is just the same as drinking wine."

To everyone's surprise, Jiang Chun actually picked up the cup of tea and clinked it against Jiang He's wine cup before gulping it down noisily.

Song Shian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she was easier to handle this time.

But clearly, he had relaxed too soon.

After lying down on the kang in the west room, she started demanding water, and then complained that it was too hot and insisted on taking a bath.

Wiping his newly washed hair, Song Shian coaxed her again, "You've had too much to drink and can barely stand steady. How about we skip the bath tonight and do it tomorrow morning instead?"

Jiang Chun, pulling at her undergarment, shouted, "So, Song Shian, you don't want me to bathe because you're planning to let me overheat and then marry a new bride, is that it?"

Song Shian: "..."

He sighed, pressed her hand, and tried to negotiate, "You can't stand properly, and if you fall and hit your head on the well curb, it won't be a joke. How about I bring the bathtub in here, and you can wash up in this room, alright?"

Jiang Chun tilted her head, her muddled brain pondered for a moment, and she finally nodded, seemingly thinking that as long as she could bathe, it was fine.

Relieved, Song Shian helped her lie back on the kang and went out to fetch the bathtub he had just used.

He carried several buckets of cold water in and poured them into the tub, then added the remaining half-pot of hot water from the large cauldron.

After testing the water temperature and finding it just right, he went to call Jiang Chun, "The water's ready, get up and wash."

Jiang Chun almost dozed off but sat up groggily, yawning.

Song Shian helped her down from the kang.

He originally intended to leave her to wash by herself, but seeing her wobbly stance and half-closed eyes, it looked like she might topple into the bathtub at any moment.

Sighing, he took off his outer robe, grabbed a toggle from the wall, and rolled up the sleeves of his undergarment.

Then he untied the sash of her undergarment and removed it, followed by loosening the waistband of her underpants...

Although Jiang Chun had forced him to kiss her many times at night, it was always in the dark after blowing out the lights. Each time, they had groped in the dark during intimate moments, as per his insistence.

This was the first time he had seen her body so openly and clearly.

His face, ears, and neck turned completely red with embarrassment, his gaze darting away, not daring to look at inappropriate places.

But still, he couldn't help but sneak a few glances.

Then, he would panic and quickly shift his gaze away.

After several such repetitions, Jiang Chun grew impatient and grumbled, "It's so hot, I need to bathe."

Song Shian quickly grabbed her waist and lifted her into the bathtub, seating her.

As soon as her body touched the water, Jiang Chun immediately felt refreshed and couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah, that's comfortable..."

Then, like a child, she splashed water onto herself.

Her hands lacked any finesse, and soon, the blue bricks in front of the kang were soaked, with some water even splashing onto the clothes chest near the west wall, where the camphorwood box containing the "Planting Beans Diagram" was stored.

If it got wet and damaged the painting inside, it would be a disaster. She would definitely throw a tantrum and blame him for it.

Song Shian quickly knelt down, grabbed both her wrists with his large hands, and coaxed, "Don't move your hands. I'll help you wash."

Thinking for a moment, he stood up, went out to fetch a water scoop, and then, holding both her wrists with one hand, used the other hand to scoop water and gently pour it over her body.

Feeling the refreshing coolness, Jiang Chun stopped fussing and sat quietly in the bathtub with her eyes closed.

Song Shian breathed a sigh of relief and continued to pour water over her with the scoop, then put it down and used both hands to scrub her.

Jiang Chun had darkened quite a bit from carrying sacks of grain at the granary, but after Song Shian made her quit that job, her face and neck had lightened considerably.

However, there was a stark contrast between the exposed tanned skin and the fair skin hidden under her clothes.

Song Shian was seeing her fair skin for the first time and realized just how white she actually was underneath the tan.

He had assumed her skin was naturally wheat-colored, but it turned out that wasn't the case. The tan was due to sun exposure.

Of course, with her daily routine of setting up a meat stall in town and working in the fields without slacking, even the fairest skin would darken under the sun.

Song Shian let go of the hand he had been holding in front of her, an uneasy expression on his face as he lightly coughed.

Not only was it fair, but also smooth and tender, making it impossible to resist touching.

Of course, he had known this for a while now, especially since he had touched it plenty over the past days.

After washing the upper part, he continued to wash below.

His face flushed even redder, as if a fire was burning on his cheeks.

It was a sight he had never seen before in his life, yet it was impossible to look away.

With great effort, he moved his hand away and began to wash her two legs.

For a woman, she was exceptionally tall. Even with her legs crossed, they still appeared slender and long, beautifully perfect beyond words.

Even her two feet, though large, had an extremely perfect shape. He couldn't help but play with—no, wash them for a while longer.

By the time the water in the bathtub started to cool down, he gently held her slender waist and helped her stand up, using a cloth to wipe the water off her body.

Then he carried her to the kang.

Now comfortable, Jiang Chun stopped complaining about the heat and soon fell asleep.

Sweating from the exertion and with a fire burning inside him, Song Shian could only go to the courtyard for a cold bath.

With his mind filled with lingering thoughts, he tossed and turned for half the night before finally managing to fall asleep with difficulty.

*

The next morning, Jiang Chun opened her eyes and sat up.

The fine cotton quilt slid off her body, revealing her undressed figure in the faint morning light.

She furrowed her brow. Where was her undergarment?

And something felt off down below. Lifting the quilt to take a look, she found that her underwear had also vanished.

She looked at Song Shian, who was lying quietly beside her. Could it be that he had taken advantage of her while she was drunk and removed her undergarments?

How could he do such a sneaky thing behind her back?

It would have been much more fun if he had done it right in front of her!

If only she had drunk less last night, pretending to be drunk was far more fun than actually being drunk.

She rolled her eyes, reached over, and pulled the quilt off Song Shian, climbing into his arms and wriggling around.

It didn’t take long to wake him up.

His narrow phoenix eyes slowly opened, still a little dazed like a young phoenix in the morning light.

But Jiang Chun didn’t give him a chance to react. She sat up and pointed at her body, accusing him, “Husband, my undergarment and underwear are gone. Did you secretly do something bad to me?”

As the sky outside gradually brightened, her bare chest, almost glowing white, was so superior and slightly pink that it was almost blinding to Song Shian.

He caught his breath, and after a moment, he regained his composure, averting his gaze and calmly replied, “I’m not like you. I’m a gentleman and would never take advantage of someone. Don’t wrongly accuse me.”

Jiang Chun wriggled a bit and said with a grin, “Why won’t you look at me when you say that? Are you feeling guilty? If you have the guts, look at me while you explain!”

Song Shian: “...”

He said helplessly, “Put your undergarment on, and then I’ll look at you.”

Jiang Chun pouted and snorted, “You had the guts to undo my undergarment and underwear while I was drunk, but not the courage to look at my body when I’m awake?

In just three more days, you’ll have been off the medicine for a full seven days. I’ll see if you dare to look at me then. If you don’t, and you can’t find the way, just wait and see how I mock you!”

Understanding the hidden meaning behind her words, Song Shian’s face turned as red as the evening clouds, too exasperated to respond. “You’re a woman, can’t you be a bit more reserved?”

Jiang Chun hummed, “You’re allowed to lose your way, but I’m not allowed to mock you?”

Song Shian: “...”

How could he possibly lose his way?

Cough, he had observed carefully last night and even washed her thoroughly, so he had already figured it out in his mind.

But he couldn’t say these honest truths aloud.

He could only scoff lightly in disdain. “Don’t underestimate me. Especially a clever man like me.”

Jiang Chun hooked her arm around his neck, rubbing herself against him and grinning. “There are only three more days until we’ll know if my husband is truly clever or not. Don’t disappoint me, okay?”

Song Shian pushed her away gently and said indifferently, “Whether there’s disappointment or not, by that time, you won’t be able to change husbands. So, you’ll just have to make do with teaching me.”

Jiang Chun gave him a sly look and said with a thick skin smile, “It’s too late to change husbands now, so I’ll just have to work hard to teach and maybe I’ll get a good student.”

Song Shian fell silent.

Though he was a man, he had never engaged in intimacy with a woman in both his lifetimes. He was completely clueless about such matters, not even knowing how to kiss until she had shown him.

When it came to intimacy, he would need her guidance.

Of course, he could fumble his way through it, but that might end up in a mess, and neither of them would enjoy it much.

Since it was their first time, it would be a shame to leave behind such unpleasant memories.

So he was willing to be a humble and good student. If she was willing to teach, he would learn diligently.

Jiang Chun leaned over and hugged him again, teasing with a laugh, “Husband, why the silence? Are you actually okay with me teaching you? Oh my, how flattering.”

It seems that the countless pig-racing movies I watched in my previous life will finally come in handy. He’s the type with a photographic memory and exceptional skills, definitely a good student.

Hehehe, looks like I’m in for a treat.

Song Shian didn’t take the bait and instead gave her another push: “It’s getting late. You should get up and make breakfast. It’s fine if you starve me, but you shouldn’t let Dad go hungry.”

Jiang Chun glanced out the window and saw that it was already fully lit. Remembering that in just three more days they would consummate their marriage, she didn’t tease him further and swiftly put on her undergarments.

Anyway, he’s already the meat in my bowl; there’s no way he can run, right?

But consummation is a big deal for people in ancient times; it can’t be too hasty. She needed to make some preparations first.

Life, after all, requires a bit of ceremony. That way, when they looked back in the future, the memories would be even more beautiful, wouldn’t they?