Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Once inside, Li Shi scrutinized Lin Qiu and Lin Sui. "Last time you visited, Sui Er was only this tall; now she's grown into such a fine young woman."

"Qing Yun, do you remember your two cousins?"

"I do. Cousin Qiu took me persimmon-picking."

Lin Qiu smiled shyly, while Lin Sui, more outgoing, chimed in, "Do you remember me, Cousin Yun?"

"Yes, we even fought over persimmons."

Li Shi and Chen Rong couldn't help but laugh. Back then, they were only eight or nine. Three years had passed in a blink since Father Chen's death, when Chen Rong brought the children back for the funeral.

Chen Rong asked, "Where's Qing Song?"

"He went out to play; he'll be back soon."

Chen Qingyan's face darkened. "I haven't been home these past few days; he must have been running wild."

Qing Yun quickly defended her brother, "No, no, he studies diligently every day. He only went out to play for a little while today."

Li Shi beckoned a maid. "Go tell the kitchen that Third Aunt and the two children are back. Have them prepare more food."

Chen Rong quickly interjected, "No need to go to such trouble."

"I'm truly happy you're back. It's just me, an old woman, here at home with nothing to do. From now on, we can keep each other company."

"Indeed."

In front of the children, Li Shi refrained from asking what had happened, instead chatting about family matters. "Ying'er has opened a fresh produce shop. From now on, whatever vegetables you fancy, we'll have them at home."

"I know. That boy is truly capable. So young and already daring to start his own business. We certainly didn't have that kind of courage at his age."

"Exactly! With him managing the household, I have no worries. He arranges everything perfectly. These past few days without him, I've felt quite lost."

Wang Ying's face flushed with praise. "Mother, please stop praising me. A few more words and I'll get a swelled head."

Everyone burst into laughter.

The food was soon served: a large bowl of flatbread soaked in rich meat broth for each person. The meat was stewed until melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the flatbread, made from finely ground flour, was easy to chew. Besides the meat soup, there was a whole stewed chicken, a plate of stir-fried chives with eggs, and some cold marinated meat.

Third Aunt and the two children hadn't eaten such a substantial meal in a long time and couldn't help but eat a little more than usual.

Over the past few years, to pay off Lin Zhangbin's debts, the family had scrimped and saved. They rarely had meat more than once a month, and each time they only bought a small strip to stew with vegetables. The children's diets lacked richness.

Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan also ate heartily. The food at the posthouses along the way wasn't as good as home cooking, and both had lost weight from hunger.

"It's so comfortable to be home," Wang Ying said, leaning back in his chair with a contented burp.

Li Shi asked, "Was the journey arduous, enduring the elements?"

"It was alright. It's just that the posthouses were incredibly dirty. Staying one night almost made us ill."

Chen Qingyan empathized. "Next time we travel, we must bring our own bedding. Using those posthouse quilts made my skin crawl."

Chen Rong added, "It's a bit better in summer. The inns wash them occasionally. In winter, bedding doesn't dry well, so they might not wash it even once a month."

Li Shi waved her hand. "Stop talking about it. You're making me feel itchy all over. Later, I'll have someone heat water for you all to take a good bath and freshen up."

After the meal, Li Shi arranged their accommodations. "Third Sister, you'll sleep with me tonight. Let Qiu Er and Sui Er stay in Qing Yun's compound for the night. She has several empty rooms there. Tomorrow, I'll have someone clean out the west courtyard for you to live in long-term."

The west courtyard was where Chen Rong lived before her marriage. Hearing this, she felt a wave of comfort, knowing her sister-in-law sincerely welcomed her back.

"You all don't need to stay here and keep us company. The journey was exhausting, so go rest now."

Qing Yun took her two cousins to her compound. Among cousins, there wasn't much emphasis on strict gender separation.

Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan also stood to excuse themselves. They were indeed exhausted from the days of travel and hadn't rested well during their stay at the Lin family.

After everyone had left, Li Shi took Chen Rong into the inner room and sat down. "What exactly happened?"

"I divorced Lin Zhangbin."

"Divorced? Why?"

Chen Rong recounted everything that had happened over the past few days. Li Shi gritted her teeth in anger. "That beast! How could he do such a wicked thing!"

"I never expected him to go this far. Before, no matter how irresponsible he was, I turned a blind eye. In life, there are always conflicts. But this time, it was too much. For the sake of that child from outside, he actually wronged my Qiu Er! Luckily, Qingyan and Ying'er came. Without their help, I... I wouldn't have known what to do..."

Li Shi took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. "Don't dwell on it anymore. He was in the wrong. Divorcing him was the right thing to do. Don't worry about Qiu Er's marriage. I'll keep an eye out for a good match. It's not too late to find a suitable one."

"Thank you, Sister-in-law."

"No need for such courtesy with me. We're family."

"Indeed."

Chen Rong composed herself and said, "Now that I'm divorced, it's not appropriate to stay here long-term. I'm thinking after the New Year, I'll rent or buy a house outside. Do you know what housing prices are like in town?"

Li Shi immediately grew angry upon hearing this. "Why move out? Aren't there enough rooms in this house?"

The Chen family ancestral home was a large three-courtyard compound built when the old master was still alive. It was originally intended for all three sons to live in after marriage, so it was very spacious. It could comfortably accommodate ten more people.

However, as the children grew older, living together led to too many conflicts. Before passing, the old master decided to divide the property among them, leaving the ancestral home to the eldest son.

"Sister-in-law, don't be angry. Let me finish," Chen Rong paused. "We can stay here, but food, drink, and daily expenses all cost money. There's no such thing as a free ride. Over time, it could strain our relationship."

"How much can you and the two children eat? Besides, Qiu Er and Sui Er are both boys. If you take them to live outside without a man around, I won't feel at ease!"

Ancient times were different from now. Without a male in the household, they could be bullied. There were even shameless people who would climb over walls at night to take advantage. Such things had happened before.

Chen Rong also felt apprehensive. "Then let us pay two hundred cash monthly for food. Please don't refuse this money. If you refuse, I won't stay."

Li Shi couldn't persuade her otherwise and patted her hand, feeling heartache. "Why put yourself through this? If your elder brother knew, he would scold me in my dreams for being too focused on money."

Chen Rong's nose tingled, and her eyes reddened. "He left too early. Now he can't control me anymore."

"Let's not talk about these upsetting things. Tomorrow is the big Market Day. Let's take the two children to town for a stroll and buy them some new clothes. Although the town isn't as bustling as the county, there are still a few shops. Let me do my part as their aunt."

Chen Rong didn't refuse this time. She also planned to buy something for her nephew and niece.

"Qingyan has been married for half a year now, right? Why no news yet?"

Bringing this up gave Li Shi a headache. "Don't mention it. Because of this, I almost caused trouble. A while ago, seeing the two children still hadn't any news, I thought to give nature a push. When the Qiu family gave first-month celebration gifts, we happened to get a piece of venison. I stewed it for them when we returned. Who knew venison was so potent? Yan'er had just recovered, and his body was too weak to handle the supplement. He ran a high fever and lost consciousness."

"Heavens! What did you do then?"

"We called a doctor and had the young couple ease it through intimacy a few times."

Chen Rong burst out laughing, and Li Shi slapped her playfully before she couldn't hold back either, both of them doubled over laughing, tears streaming down their faces.

"Alright, I suppose you could call that helping."

"Exactly!"

*

Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan returned to the rear courtyard, and the first thing they did was head to the bath area. Wang Ying suspected he might have caught lice, as his body had been itching like crazy these past few days. Chen Qingyan was the same, constantly scratching his scalp and skin.

They grabbed clean clothes and went to the bath area, where the water in the pot was already boiling.

"You go first. I’ll scrub your back for you later."

Chen Qingyan said, "No, you go ahead. After you finish, get some rest—you look exhausted, with shadows under your eyes."

"Alright then, I won’t argue." Wang Ying took off his outer robe and went into the inner room. The bathhouse was divided into two sections: the inner room had a heated wall, making it warm and comfortable, while the outer room had a low couch for resting, drinking tea, or reading.

Chen Qingyan waited outside. Before long, a voice called from inside, "Qingyan, come and scrub my back for me."

"Huh? Oh, sure..." He pushed up his sleeves, his face flushed red, and stepped inside.

The room was filled with steam, making everything hazy and indistinct. Wang Ying sat in the bathtub with his back to him, his skin glistening pale under the mist.

"There’s some lard soap beside you. Rub it on my back for me."

Chen Qingyan gulped, his voice hoarse as he replied, "Okay."

He picked up the lard soap and gently applied it to Wang Ying’s shoulders and back, then scrubbed with a cloth. The fair skin quickly turned pink under the friction. Chen Qingyan caught his breath, feeling his heart race and his face burn hot.

Though they had been intimate in bed before, he had never seen Wang Ying’s body so plainly. The sight sent his blood rushing south.

"Are you tickling me? Scrub harder!" Wang Ying still hadn’t realized the seriousness of the situation.

As the breathing behind him grew heavier, Wang Ying turned his head in confusion, only to be met with a kiss, his nape held firmly.

Young and full of vigor, they had gone without for so long that desire had been building up intensely.

Wang Ying wrapped his arms around Chen Qingyan’s neck and kissed him back. Seizing the moment when Chen Qingyan was lost in the kiss, he pulled him into the bathtub with a forceful tug.

"Mmph, I haven’t taken my clothes off yet..."

"Doesn’t matter, we’ll wash them anyway." They clung to each other, kissing passionately, their swollen desires already beyond control, rubbing against each other through their clothes.

Chen Qingyan nibbled at the pregnancy mark on Wang Ying’s neck. Perhaps because he was a ge'er (a male bearer), that spot was particularly sensitive. Every time Chen Qingyan sucked there, Wang Ying shivered with pleasure, losing all strength in his body.

"Qingyan... ah... stop biting..."

Chen Qingyan lifted his head and kissed Wang Ying’s lips again, this kiss filled with pure lust. His tongue explored Wang Ying’s mouth, sweeping everywhere, until Wang Ying whimpered and moaned softly.

The water sloshed urgently in the bath area. At the moment of release, Wang Ying clung to Chen Qingyan’s shoulders, almost blacking out from the pleasure.

After their fooling around, the water in the tub had nearly cooled. They quickly got out, drew fresh water, cleaned themselves properly, and returned to the bedroom.

In the room, Chen Qingsong had been waiting for them. "Brother, sister-in-law, you’re finally back! I’ve been waiting for ages!"

"Where have you been running off to?"

"Some scholars I met at the village school invited me to a poetry gathering. I even met a xiucai! He’s about your age and incredibly knowledgeable. Listening to him talk was better than ten years of study!"

Chen Qingyan laughed. "Then you should learn from him and put your energy into studying."

"Ah, but studying requires talent. I’m so far behind—passing the civil service exams is too difficult."

"Don’t talk nonsense. If you spend less time playing and more time studying, you’ll surely do well."

Seeing that his brother was about to lecture him again, Chen Qingsong quickly stood up and made for the door. "I understand! Brother, sister-in-law, you should rest now. I’m off to memorize my texts!"

After his younger brother left, Chen Qingyan suddenly realized who he might have been referring to, and his face instantly turned pale.