Chapter 2 Mountain Home Hearth 2

Chapter 2: Hearth and Home in the Mountains 2

The wooden cart was open to the wind on all sides, but thankfully it was August, and the sun still shone brightly, so the breeze didn't feel cold.

Liu Guyu sat in the cart, finally having a moment to calmly assess his situation.

Without a doubt, he had truly transmigrated—and into the body of a malicious widower. He had a frail, sickly mother-in-law, now lying in the cart, and a pair of thirteen-year-old siblings: a younger brother-in-law and a younger sister-in-law. The family was destitute, and their meager savings would likely be spent soon.

Liu Guyu sighed.

There was probably no going back to his original world. Should he just "go with the flow" since he was here? But the young villain was still terrifying! Moreover, without household registration in ancient times, he would become a refugee—he couldn't possibly follow the original host's foolish plan and run away, could he?

...Ah.

Liu Guyu sighed again.

"Brother-in-law, we're here."

It was Qin Rongshi who spoke. The young boy, clutching a grass whip, jumped off the cart and looked up at Liu Guyu, who was sitting dazedly on the cart bed, which was lined with dry grass.

Liu Guyu mumbled "oh" a couple of times and hurriedly jumped down as well. The little girl, Qin Banban, quickly followed, clutching the money bag tightly in her arms. Her eyes were wide, her lips pressed together nervously, as if afraid others wouldn’t notice she was carrying money.

But you couldn't really blame her—it was the first time the girl had carried so much money, and she was terrified.

As the saying goes, "Wealth should not be exposed." Liu Guyu was worried that her nervousness would attract pickpockets, so he bent down and said, "Give the cloth pouch to... to your brother."

He had initially intended to say "give it to me," but after a second thought, he changed his words.

Qin Rongshi glanced at him thoughtfully, then took the money bag from his sister and placed it together with the ten taels of condolence silver.

The group pulled the cart into town and headed straight for the clinic.

The doctor on duty was an old man with a white beard. He came out to examine the patient, promptly administered two acupuncture needles, and immediately brought Mother Qin around.

Mother Qin, named Cui Lanfang, took a deep breath, then her eyelids fluttered open, gazing dazedly at her children gathered around her.

The old doctor, with his hands behind his back, walked back into the clinic, saying as he went, "Help her inside."

Seeing that the old doctor had brought their mother around with just a needle, Qin Rongshi, who had been uneasy, calmed down a bit. He lowered his head and helped Cui Lanfang into the clinic.

"Mother, let’s go inside."

The young boy was small in stature, and Cui Lanfang’s weight nearly overwhelmed him. Liu Guyu couldn’t stand by and watch, so he quickly stepped forward to lend a hand, supporting her as they walked inside.

Inside the clinic, the doctor conducted a thorough examination—checking her pulse, observing, listening, asking questions—and finally, stroking his beard, he sighed and said, "This is a rich man’s illness."

"It’s a chronic cough due to lung deficiency, compounded by prolonged melancholy and depression. If this continues, it could leave her with a lasting illness, making it difficult to treat later."

Upon hearing the term "rich man’s illness," Cui Lanfang’s expression changed. She shook her head hurriedly and said, "Then... then I won’t treat it... *cough* *cough*... I know my own body. It’s just a cough—it’s nothing serious."

She was likely too anxious, as she lowered her head and coughed several times while speaking.

Seeing the family dressed in coarse hemp clothes, it was clear they were struggling financially. Although the old doctor had a healer’s compassion, he had seen many poor souls who couldn’t afford treatment. He sighed inwardly but still reminded them, "If left untreated... I'm afraid she won't live long."

His words were tactful, but Qin Rongshi understood.

He immediately stopped Cui Lanfang, who was about to stand up, and said firmly, "We will treat it. Doctor, please prescribe the medicine."

The old doctor picked up his brush and wrote a prescription, then said, "These herbs aren’t too expensive, but the ginseng and deer antler glue are the costliest. Your mother’s illness requires at least half a year of recuperation. I’ll prescribe one month’s worth of medicine for now, which will cost two taels and five maces. Come back for a follow-up in a month, and I’ll prescribe the next batch..."

At this point, he was worried that the woman might hesitate to spend the money—pushed into getting treatment this time by her children but unwilling to return later. He added, "The medicine must not be interrupted. Otherwise, this month’s treatment will be wasted, and the money will be down the drain."

Heavens! Medicine for half a year?!

Cui Lanfang’s eyes widened. Seeing Qin Rongshi already reaching for the money, she quickly grabbed her son’s hand and cried out in distress, "Son, this really won’t do! That’s the money we worked so hard to save for your schooling!"

When Qin Rongshi’s father was still alive, the Qin family had lived relatively well, and they had sent Qin Rongshi to school. Later, while gathering herbs in the mountains, Qin Rongshi’s father accidentally fell off a cliff. Treating his injuries drained the family’s savings, and they even sold several acres of land. Qin Rongshi had to drop out of school and stay home.

Cui Lanfang continued, "Two and a half taels a month—over half a year, that’s over ten taels! How can our family afford that? Even if we buy this month’s medicine, we won’t have the money next time! My health is really fine—it's a waste of money!"

Qin Rongshi said sternly, "We must treat it. We still have two acres of land. If we run out of money, we’ll sell the land."

The family only had those two acres left. They had sold several acres when Qin Rongshi’s father was critically injured. They were about to sell more when he passed away, leaving the land untouched.

Qin Banban was also crying her eyes out, clinging to her mother’s leg and sobbing, "Mother... Father is already gone, and Big Brother is gone too. You can’t leave us too, or Second Brother and I will truly be like weeds in the field!"

Hearing the words "Big Brother," Cui Lanfang couldn’t hold back her tears.

In the end, with her children insisting, the medicine was prescribed, and the family hurriedly returned to the village by cart.

Cui Lanfang sat in the cart, seemingly lost in thought, while Qin Banban nestled in her arms, looking up at her and wiping away her tears. Softly, she said, "Mother, you still have me and Second Brother."

The girl was gentle and slow-spoken by nature, only quickening her speech when she was truly anxious.

Cui Lanfang’s eyes reddened at these words. Unable to hold back, she hugged Qin Banban tightly, first whimpering, then bursting into loud sobs.

Liu Guyu felt incredibly awkward beside them. He fidgeted with his clothes, then tugged at the dry grass beneath him. His hands seemed newly grown, never finding a proper place to rest.

The Qin family was pitiable, but Liu Guyu’s impression of them still came from the book. He couldn't muster genuine empathy just yet, at most sighing along with the old doctor while clasping his hands behind his back.

Unexpectedly, after hugging Qin Banban, Cui Lanfang grabbed Liu Guyu and hugged him too, wailing, "You’ve suffered too, child! You’ve not had a single day of happiness since marrying into our family! If I had known it would be like this... back then, I should have called off the marriage. Liu Geer is so handsome—you could have found any good family!"

Liu Guyu froze, stiff as a wooden chicken in Cui Lanfang’s embrace, his wide eyes comically exaggerated.

Her words were an exaggeration. In the first year after the original host married into the family, Qin Rongshi’s father was still alive, and they had lived relatively well for a time.

As for the original host, he was a venomous scorpion who repaid kindness with betrayal.

He was the son of a village scholar. Unfortunately, his mother died early, and his scholar father remarried. A few years later, the old scholar also passed away.

Before his death, worried that his son would have no one to rely on, the old scholar carefully selected a match in the village and settled on the Qin family. At the time, the Qin family was doing well—Qin Rongshi’s father was an herb gatherer, his children were sensible and polite, and the second son was a scholar with a bright future. Thus, before his death, the old scholar arranged the marriage for his son, choosing Qin Dalang from the Qin family.

But fate had other plans. Later, the court waged war and conscripted soldiers urgently, even forbidding citizens from paying exemption fees, forcibly drafting men into the army.

Not long after the old scholar’s death, the stepmother revealed her true colors, treating the original host harshly. At the time, the original host was not yet fifteen, and Qin Dalang was away. By custom, the marriage shouldn’t have proceeded, but the Qin family pitied him and remembered the kindness they had received from the old scholar. They decided to take him in, registering him in their household, planning to hold the wedding once Qin Dalang returned.

Who would have thought that before Qin Dalang’s return, the family’s pillar—Qin Rongshi’s father—would meet with misfortune?

Regardless, the Qin family had saved the original host from dire straits. To him, this was a life-saving grace.

Yet, as the years passed, life in the Qin family grew increasingly difficult.

In the first year, with Qin Rongshi’s father still alive, they occasionally ate meat. In the second year, his father fell while gathering herbs, and the family’s savings were spent on medicine. They sold land, but still couldn’t save him. In the third year, Cui Lanfang also fell ill—middle-aged, widowed, and worried about her eldest son, who had vanished without a trace. Her worries festered into illness... Life grew harder and harder.

The original host grew discontent. At first, he held onto hope that Qin Dalang would return alive and improve the family’s situation. But instead, he received news of Qin Dalang’s death.

So, the original host hatched a wicked plan to abscond with the family’s money. It was at this moment that Liu Guyu crossed over.

Now, held by Cui Lanfang, Liu Guyu initially felt awkward and unsure what to do. But when a warm tear dripped onto the nape of his neck, he instinctively straightened up and unconsciously began patting Cui Lanfang’s back.

Upon returning home, Qin Banban went into the kitchen to help her mother brew the medicine and also get started on dinner for the day. Qin Rongshi first helped Cui Lanfang back to her room to lie down, then went out into the yard to look for his late elder brother’s belongings.

Earlier, there had been a lot of commotion in the yard with people coming and going. He had been too preoccupied with Cui Lanfang to notice the broken knife and bloodied clothes.

"Um... are you looking for this?"

Liu Guyu stood by the corner of the wall, cautiously pointing at the bloodied clothes and broken knife that someone had placed on the woodpile against the wall.

Qin Rongshi looked at Liu Guyu with a stern young face, then walked over, picked up the items from the woodpile and held them to his chest, and finally looked up at Liu Guyu.

"Thank you for your help today, brother-in-law."

Liu Guyu scratched his head and gave a strained smile. "Ah... well, we’re family, hahaha."

Somehow, Qin Rongshi found this amusing and also curved his lips into an odd, faint smile. "You’re right, brother-in-law. We are family, and I won’t forget it."

Liu Guyu: "..."

So the little villain does know how to smile?

And honestly, he has a nice smile.

It’s strange—this village is dusty, and most of the villagers are sun-darkened, yet the Qin family’s mother and children look like celestial beings. Though malnourished, with sallow-skinned complexions and dry hair, they have good bone structure. With proper care, they could all become real lookers.

What is this? Villain aura?

In novels, even villains have to be beautiful?

...Does that make me a villain too? Aren't cannon fodder still villains?

I wonder what I look like now.

On the surface, Liu Guyu remained calm, but his mind was racing a mile a minute.

He gave Qin Rongshi a sheepish grin and said, "Well, I’m going inside to rest too."

He nodded twice, turned on his heel, and entered the room that had been his.

Though it was called the original owner’s room, it had actually been Qin Dalang’s old room. He had been gone for several years, so most of the belongings in the room were the original owner’s.

Liu Guyu looked around but couldn’t find a mirror in the room. In the end, he had to use the water he’d washed his face with that morning to check his reflection.

As he looked, he thought to himself: The original owner was something else—he didn’t even bother to throw out the water after washing his face. Did he plan to use it again tonight?

The reflection in the water was blurry, but he could vaguely make out a face that closely resembled his from his previous life, though thinner and paler.

Phew.

Liu Guyu breathed a sigh of relief.

Though not a great beauty, at least it was still his own face.

But why was there a white cloth tied around his forehead? Was he already wearing mourning for Qin Dalang???

Author’s Note:

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Recommending a similar rural BL novel: "The Hunter’s Husband Won’t Listen" (Completed)

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Synopsis:

Lin Chaosheng had time-traveled, arriving at his own funeral.

Before he even opened his eyes, he heard wailing outside. He sat up abruptly, performing a daylight resurrection act that scared everyone away.

Finally, some peace. After calming down, Lin Chaosheng began to figure out his situation. In his previous life, he was naturally gay but sadly lived 22 years without finding a partner, dying a virgin.

Now, upon opening his eyes, he found himself in ancient times, and to his surprise, he had wound up with a tall, long-legged, muscular hunk as a husband—complete with pecs, abs, and biceps.

Now this was a worthwhile way to die!

Wait, hold on... Can men give birth? How can a man have a child? Yikes—Lin Chaosheng took a sharp breath, too terrified to care about the handsome man. He had to run!

He could risk his backside, but he couldn’t let his belly get big! No, no, no!

-

Lu Yunchuan was a hunter who was injured during a hunt and saved by the Lin family. The Lin couple leveraged their kindness to force him into marrying their critically ill nephew.

Within two days of marriage, the nephew was on his deathbed. The village doctor said to prepare for the funeral.

Lu Yunchuan, who had just gotten married, was now a widower. With a dark expression, he arranged the funeral for his new husband. On the day of the funeral, the Lin couple came again to cause trouble, accusing him of working their nephew to death and demanding compensation.

Lu Yunchuan’s face grew even darker, and he was about to grab a knife to drive them out.

Just then, the new husband lying in the main hall suddenly sat up as if resurrected. Stiffly turning his neck, he gave the Lin couple a ghastly smile and said eerily, "I’m so cold."

With those words, the troublemakers who had been sitting on the ground wailing scrambled to their feet and fled.

Lu Yunchuan: "..."