Chapter 73 August

Chapter 73: August

Back in the room, Jian Ru sat on the edge of the bed, eating hawthorn jelly and watching the Second Young Master wash and change.

By the time the Second Young Master finished, Jian Ru had eaten all but a bite or two of the hawthorn jelly, holding it in his hand as he waited.

The Second Young Master walked over and bent down. Jian Ru reached out and fed the small piece of hawthorn jelly into his mouth.

Shengxiangzhai's hawthorn cakes used less sugar, making them quite tart. After just one bite, the Second Young Master found it almost unbearably sour. He asked, "Doesn't eating so much make it too sour?"

Jian Ru shook his head. "It's delicious."

The Second Young Master patted his head, got a cloth to wipe his mouth and hands, and had him drink a cup of water. "That's enough for today, or your teeth will ache from the sourness."

Jian Ru was reluctant but nodded anyway.

The Second Young Master also sat on the edge of the bed and asked, "What did you do today?"

Jian Ru produced a sewn handkerchief from behind his back. The Second Young Master took it, examined it, and smiled. "Xiao Ru, your craftsmanship is quite good."

Jian Ru hummed in agreement. After observing the Second Young Master for a moment, he kicked off his shoes and scooted further onto the bed.

Seeing this, the Second Young Master asked, "Tired?"

Jian Ru shook his head. He lay down on the inner side of the bed, stretched one arm out on the mattress, and patted it with his other hand. "Come, let me hold you."

The Second Young Master paused, the smile fading from his lips as he lowered his eyelids.

After only a brief hesitation, he bent down to take off his shoes, lay sideways on the bed, rested his head on Jian Ru’s arm, wrapped his arms around his waist, and buried his face in the crook of his neck.

Jian Ru pulled the quilt over both of them with his other hand, then wrapped his arm around the Second Young Master’s shoulders and back, rubbing his cheek against the top of his head. Since becoming pregnant, Jian Ru’s body temperature had been higher than usual, making him warm to the touch. His chest rose and fell with each breath, and the faint sound of his heartbeat could be heard beneath his thin chest.

His slender arms tried hard to envelop the Second Young Master entirely. Though his palms were small, they were very warm.

"You don’t have to smile when you don’t feel like it," Jian Ru said softly.

The Second Young Master let out a muffled "mm-hmm" against his chest.

Jian Ru kissed the strands of hair on his head, then his forehead, soft and lingering, one kiss after another.

That whole afternoon, the two of them lay like this, holding each other, until it was time for dinner before they finally got up.

…

Jian Ru and the elder sister-in-law were at similar stages of pregnancy, but Jian Ru’s morning sickness was much more severe than hers. It had been relatively mild before, but by the third month, he could hardly keep anything down except for fruit. Whatever he ate, he would soon vomit.

The Second Young Master tried everything to prepare food for him, even consulting medical books from his second sister’s room for reference. But even the most skilled physician could only alleviate the symptoms of pregnancy, not cure them entirely. They had no choice but to endure it.

One evening, after just having thrown up, Jian Ru leaned against a soft cushion, his small face creased in discomfort.

The Second Young Master finished cleaning up and quickly took off his shoes to get into bed. As soon as he lay down, Jian Ru cuddled up to him, making soft complaining noises in his arms.

The Second Young Master soothingly stroked his back, and Jian Ru mumbled a complaint, "The baby's being naughty. He’s tormenting me."

The Second Young Master went along with him, "He is naughty. When he comes out, I’ll scold him."

Jian Ru said, "You’re naughty too. You torment me as well…"

The Second Young Master continued to go along with him, "Yes, yes, I’m naughty too…"

Jian Ru looked up at him. "Say it. Say you won’t torment me anymore."

This time, the Second Young Master fell silent.

Jian Ru refused to let it go, butting his head against the Second Young Master’s shoulder.

The Second Young Master laughed and put a hand on his forehead to keep him from hurting himself, then asked softly, "Do you feel better after throwing up?"

Jian Ru indignantly replied, "That still doesn’t make up for your misdeeds."

The Second Young Master asked, "Then how can I atone for my sins?" As he spoke, his hand wandered lower.

Before Jian Ru could grasp his meaning, his pants—light due to the hot weather—were easily pulled down. The Second Young Master lowered his head and took him into his mouth.

Jian Ru let out a soft cry, his entire body going limp.

Since becoming pregnant, he had been too focused on feeling sick to even think about such matters.

Having indulged in this little pleasure today, perhaps because it had been so long, Jian Ru was extremely satisfied. After it was over, his entire body felt soft and boneless, his face flushed. He lay there lazily, all his tension melted away.

The Second Young Master cleaned him up and went to rinse his mouth. When he returned and saw Jian Ru like this, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

Jian Ru didn’t protest.

The Second Young Master returned to bed, lying on his side propped up on one elbow, and asked with a smile, "Am I still naughty?"

Jian Ru said thoughtfully, "Just a little naughty."

The Second Young Master laughed. "Understood. It seems I still need to work harder."

Jian Ru’s face flushed red. He had been so thoroughly pleasured that he really didn’t want to move, but he felt it would be impolite not to reciprocate. So he looked down and asked insincerely, "Do you… want me to…?"

The Second Young Master saw what he was doing and teased, "So insincere. If you really wanted to help, you wouldn’t ask—you’d just do it."

Jian Ru, embarrassed at being caught, grew flustered. He sat up and climbed onto the Second Young Master, settling his weight on him. The Second Young Master laughed and held him, giving his bottom a pat. "Alright, no need to trouble Xiao Ru. I can wait."

Feeling he owed him, Jian Ru wrapped his arms around the Second Young Master’s neck, lifted his flushed face, and whispered near his ear, "When the time comes, I’ll make it worth your while."

The Second Young Master felt a tickle in his ears and his heart, smiling as he kissed Jian Ru’s cheek. "Then I’ll look forward to it from now on."

…

Jian Ru thought pregnancy was strange.

Back in the village, whenever he heard that someone’s wife or husband was pregnant, it never seemed particularly special. One moment they looked no different from usual, and the next time he saw them, their belly was bulging like they'd swallowed a small pot. After not seeing them for a while longer, they’d already be holding a baby in their arms—it all happened so quickly.

But now that it was his turn, Jian Ru felt that each day passed exceptionally slowly. Moreover, he had no real feeling of being pregnant. When bathing or changing clothes, he would look down at his flat stomach and wonder, "Is there really a baby in there? How tiny must it be to fit in such a flat little space?"

After the first three months, the morning sickness finally subsided. One morning, Jian Ru woke up feeling clear-headed and energetic, with no discomfort anywhere. Suddenly, he craved meat—something he hadn’t been able to stand the smell of for a long time—and not just any meat, but well-marbled pork belly.

When Madam Li heard this, she immediately sent Old Lady Wang to the market to buy a large piece of choice pork belly. She stewed a big pot of red-cooked pork for him, simmering it all afternoon until most of the fat had rendered out. The skin was crispy, the meat tender, glossy, and red, with the fat melting in his mouth—incredibly fragrant.

Jian Ru ate a small bowl of it with rice all by himself.

The Second Young Master, worried he might find it too greasy, added some stir-fried greens to his bowl. Jian Ru finished every last bite, his appetite excellent.

From that day on, Jian Ru felt exceptionally comfortable. He ate well, slept well, and his complexion became even brighter and more radiant than before pregnancy, with a rosy glow that showed he was being well cared for.

Feeling so comfortable, he grew restless staying at home and, as before, began making daily trips to the clinic.

With the Second Young Master accompanying him, the family could rest easy.

Earlier, Madam Li had promised to hire an opera troupe, but due to the hot and rainy weather in August, it had been postponed.

By the time September arrived, the weather had more clear days and turned cooler, and the event was finally set to take place.

However, the opera wasn’t performed at home. Since it involved spending money, and given Madam Li’s nature, she wanted to get her money's worth. The stage was set up right in front of the clinic’s entrance, free for anyone to watch. She also arranged for the various medicinal pills made by Jin Feng and Jin Rong to be displayed, using the occasion to attract business and make some money back.

On the day of the performance, Madam Li invited Squire Li’s household to join in watching the opera. Surprisingly, aside from Squire Li and his wife, the eldest son and second son with their families also came. Even the third son, Li Yingsong, who hadn't been seen in ages, showed up, though he arrived a bit later than the rest.

Li Yingsong looked respectable, though he had grown somewhat thinner, with no other noticeable changes.

After greeting everyone, he found a seat as if he knew the place well. When he saw Xiao Ning passing by, he told him to make some tea.

Xiao Ning brought the tea, and Li Yingsong then requested some snacks.

Though he was demanding, he calmed down once he had everything, sitting in his chair, eating and drinking while nodding along to the rhythm of the opera drums.

According to custom, the warm-up act was lively and noisy. As the main performance was about to begin, Madam Li hurriedly asked Xiao Ning to call someone out from the clinic.

Jian Ru had earlier greeted his sworn father's family before going to the accounting room to do the accounts, with the Second Young Master accompanying him. When the two men came out and saw that Li Yingsong had also arrived, they naturally went over to exchange greetings.

However, upon seeing Jian Ru, Li Yingsong looked surprised—it was his first time seeing Jian Ru after the scars on his face were removed. He stared openly without shame, his gaze fixed intently.

Even after Jian Ru found a seat toward the back, Li Yingsong continued to turn and stare, his eyes full of interest.

It wasn’t until a figure blocked his view of Jian Ru that Li Yingsong frowned and looked up, meeting Li Jintong’s cold gaze. Only then did he immediately look away and turn back.

Knowing his son all too well, Squire Li was furious at his behavior but restrained himself to save face, unable to lose his temper in front of everyone. Madam Li quickly patted his shoulder to soothe him.

Jian Ru overheard his elder sister Jin Hui whispering to the eldest son of his sworn father’s family about the third son’s current situation. The eldest son shook his head and said, “He’s afraid of death. After stirring up trouble earlier, he settled down again, but he still occasionally falls back into his old ways.”

Hearing this, Jin Hui could only sigh helplessly.

The opera being performed was *Wang Laohu Seizes a Bride*, a lively and festive story.

Since it involved a scholar disguising himself as a woman and being “seized” for marriage, the role of the scholar was played by a male actor skilled at portraying both genders. Li Yingsong, who had been lounging lazily, suddenly sat up straight, staring intently at the stage and occasionally clapping and cheering enthusiastically.

At one point, the Second Young Master stood up. Jian Ru softly asked, “Where are you going?”

The Second Young Master replied, “There’s a breeze. I’ll fetch you an outer robe.”

Jian Ru nodded. A short while later, the Second Young Master returned not only with the robe but also with a handful of melon seeds. He sat down and began shelling them for him to eat as they watched the opera.

After some time, once the actor playing the scholar finished his part and went backstage to change, Li Yingsong couldn't sit still.

He glanced around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, stood up as if to stretch his legs from sitting too long. Soon, he wandered toward the backstage area.

However, just as he lifted the curtain to enter, he let out a sharp cry and jumped out holding his foot.

The eldest son of the Li family rushed over to check and found that Li Yingsong’s foot was bleeding heavily, staining his silk boot red. Alarmed, he asked, “What happened to you?”

Li Yingsong grimaced in pain, “A nail—I stepped on a nail.”

Naturally, he couldn’t continue watching the opera and was helped into the clinic by several people.

Both families gathered around as Li Jinfeng bandaged his wound.

Li Yingsong groaned in pain throughout.

Once the bandaging was nearly done, he finally came to his senses and eyed Li Jintong suspiciously, narrowing his eyes. “Why would there be a nail there out of nowhere? Did you put it there?”

Li Jintong crossed his arms. “That's childish. This isn’t like when we were kids.”

The eldest son of the Li family scolded him, “How do you think the stage was built without nails? Why were you sneaking around backstage? If you hadn’t been wandering where you shouldn’t, how would you have stepped on a nail?”

Li Yingsong immediately fell silent.

After the bandaging, he was in too much pain to enjoy the opera and was sent home under Squire Li’s orders.

Jian Ru, tired from sitting, was helped by the Second Young Master to lie down on the soft couch in the back hall.

When the Second Young Master went to fetch water, Jian Ru watched his back intently, still staring when he returned.

A moment later, the Second Young Master couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Stop staring. I did it.”