Chapter 149 City Streets 49

Chapter 149: City Life in the Prefecture, Part 49

Seeing them, Luo Qingzhu was both surprised and delighted. Knowing they were going to tidy up the courtyard, he quickly set aside his own work and went over to help them clean up.

"My mother knew you were coming back, so she had the courtyard cleaned a few days ago. It's just the main hall and a few rooms that still need sweeping."

As he spoke, Luo Qingzhu followed them into the courtyard.

Lucky hadn't returned to the village for a long time. He had been cooped up in Jiangning Prefecture and was truly stifled. Now that he was finally back in Shanghe Village, he was running all over with the two big dogs, having a great time.

They still kept cats in the prefecture, but it wasn't convenient to bring them on long trips, so they asked the neighbor Fang Liuyin to feed them.

Actually, that calico cat was quite capable—it had taught the two kittens to catch mice—but Qin Banban wasn't convinced and worried they might go hungry, so she specifically asked her teacher for help.

The courtyard was indeed spotless, without any dust or fallen leaves. Even the doors had been carefully wiped, not a speck of dust in sight.

They all cleaned and tidied the rooms together, working for two *shichen* (about four hours) before finally taking a break. The sky was gradually darkening, and it was soon time to prepare dinner.

Dinner was eaten at Lin Xingniang's home. In winter, it gets dark early, and the night road back to the village isn't easy to navigate, so after winter sets in, Lin Xingniang wraps up her stall earlier.

When she returned and saw Cui Lanfang, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, she was so happy her eyes curved into crescent moons. Qin Banban and Luo Maier, the two girls who hadn't seen each other for a long time, were even more affectionate, hugging and sticking close together in no time.

Coming back with Lin Xingniang and her daughter was also Song Qingfeng. His reaction to the Qin family's sudden return was rather neutral, but he took an oil-paper package from his pocket and waved to Luo Qingzhu, saying:

"Didn't you say yesterday you wanted to eat *ye'erba* (leaf-wrapped glutinous rice cakes)? I brought some back, but unfortunately they're cold already. We can steam them later, and you can have them tonight."

Song Qingfeng and Luo Qingzhu stood close together, shoulder to shoulder. Luo Qingzhu smiled as he took the package from Song Qingfeng and said happily, "Great, I'll try them tonight."

Then he tugged at Song Qingfeng's sleeve and added, "Have dinner with us tonight? With Auntie and the others back, let's all eat together!"

Lin Xingniang, being hospitable, quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes! Everyone, come to my place for dinner! I can already smell something delicious—must be my Qingzhu who's cooked something tasty!"

Cui Lanfang also laughed. Looking at Song Qingfeng and Luo Qingzhu standing together, she nudged Lin Xingniang's arm and teased, "Is a happy event coming up soon?"

Lin Xingniang didn't hide it. She glanced at Qing Zhu, then at Song Qingfeng, looking very pleased.

"I won't keep it from you—the two kids are engaged! It's set for next August. It's just a shame that you'll all be in the prefectural city then, so you probably won't have the chance to see my Qing Zhu get married."

Truly, a mother-in-law looking at her future son-in-law—the more she looks, the more satisfied she becomes.

Now, when Lin Xingniang looked at Song Qingfeng, she saw someone with good height, good looks, a good temperament, and a sense of responsibility. He was also very considerate to her Qing Zhu—she liked him more the more she saw him!

Lin Xingniang laughed, and Cui Lanfang laughed too, making Luo Qingzhu blush a little. He said, embarrassed, "There's chicken soup simmering in the kitchen. I, I'll go check on it."

Song Qingfeng also rubbed his nose, nodded to the two elders, and quickly followed, asking softly, "Is it the black-bone chicken I brought back yesterday?"

Luo Qingzhu: "Mm... come help me light the fire."

This meal was especially sumptuous: black-bone chicken soup with fragrant mushrooms, pork braised with vermicelli, stir-fried pork with green peppers and garlic shoots, cabbage and tofu pot, along with a few plates of stir-fried vegetables.

The two families happily ate together. Qin Banban and Luo Maier, the two girls, made plans to go play on Little Flow Mountain the next day. Banban had been away from the village for half a year and hadn't had a chance to play freely in a long time. This return to the village was a rare opportunity.

Cui Lanfang and Lin Xingniang couldn't stop talking. One asked if anything interesting had happened in the village over the past six months, while the other asked about what was new in the prefectural city.

Cui Lanfang told her about Chen Qiaoyun's situation, which made Lin Xingniang so angry she put down her chopsticks and cursed up a storm.

After the meal, Liu Guyu and the others returned to their own home. They heated two pots of water for the whole family to bathe properly before going to bed. They hadn't rested well during the journey back to the village these past few days, but now they could finally relax!

*

The next day, Qin Banban and Luo Maier made plans early to go play in the mountains. Liu Guyu also hadn't played like this in ages. Over the past six months, he had been busy with the eatery. Even though only half a year had passed, it felt like a very long time. Now, he could finally enjoy some leisure.

The weather was nice today, with a warm sun that made everyone feel warm all over. The group changed into light clothing and headed up the mountain together.

Although the New Year hadn't yet arrived, the start of spring had already begun, and the weather was gradually warming. Many wild vegetables on the mountain had sprouted, and with a bit of patience, one could still dig up quite a few.

"Though March is the peak season for the freshest wild vegetables, there are plenty to be found now too—like wild rapeseed, tree cabbage, and white mugwort!" Luo Maier babbled on as she walked up the mountain, carrying a small bamboo basket and holding Qin Banban's hand.

"Let's dig some to make dumplings and buns! Chopped wild vegetables mixed with meat filling—so tasty!"

The group of six—Luo Maier, Qin Banban, Liu Guyu, Qin Rongshi, Luo Qingzhu, and Song Qingfeng—had all come to dig for wild vegetables, but only the two girls were truly focused on the task.

They walked at the front, occasionally crouching down to dig with their hoes, chattering away.

"Banban, did you really find a teacher and start studying medicine?"

"Yes, my teacher is wonderful! And very beautiful too!"

"Hey, hey, check my pulse! Check my pulse!"

"Hmm... let me see... uh, Mai'er, you're as strong as an ox!"

"Banban, you! What are you saying!"

"Hahaha... alright, alright, I won't say anymore! Don't tickle me!"

...

The two girls walked ahead, laughing and talking, while Luo Qingzhu and Song Qingfeng trailed far behind.

Liu Guyu occasionally glanced back and saw the two holding hands secretly, looking at each other and whispering intimately, clearly very close.

Liu Guyu giggled softly and turned to find Qin Rongshi looking down at him.

"What are you laughing at?" Qin Rongshi asked softly.

Liu Guyu tilted his head up and grinned at him but didn't answer. Instead, he tugged Qin Rongshi's hand and pulled him toward a different path.

After walking a few steps, he said, "We're not here to dig vegetables anyway, no need to follow them."

Before long, the group of six, who had set out and climbed the mountain together, had scattered—two focused on digging vegetables, two sneaking around being lovey-dovey, and two lounging around behind a small hill.

Pulling Qin Rongshi to sit beside him on a large bluestone by the stream bank, Liu Guyu rested his chin in his hand and smiled. "You can't just bury yourself in books every day. It's more fun out here, right?" he said.

Qin Rongshi had a habit of rising early to review his studies and practice calligraphy, a routine he hadn't broken even after returning to the village. He hadn't wanted to come out today, but Liu Guyu had barged in and dragged him out.

Qin Rongshi looked at him and noticed Liu Guyu had one hand resting his chin while the other was sneakily reaching toward the stream.

"The mountain water is cold."

Qin Rongshi immediately grabbed the misbehaving hand. Liu Guyu pouted—he had been planning to sneakily splash water on Qin Rongshi but didn't succeed!

"Hey! Qin Rongshi, there are flowers over there!"

Liu Guyu suddenly noticed spots of red among the green on the other side of the stream—large, vibrant blooms rarely seen in winter.

Qin Rongshi looked in the direction he pointed and replied, "They look like wild camellias. Do you want me to get you some?"

Camellias have an exceptionally long blooming period, lasting from winter through early to mid-spring of the following year. They come in a variety of colors, making for a gorgeous display.

Liu Guyu eagerly said, "Yeah, definitely!"

"Hold on."

Qin Rongshi then let go of his hand and stood up, heading toward the camellia bushes. After taking a couple of steps, he stopped warily and turned back to caution, "Don’t play with the water."

Liu Guyu nodded vigorously and swatted Qin Rongshi’s hand playfully. "Got it! I’m not a child!"

Qin Rongshi nodded before turning to continue forward. He stepped across the stream on the rocks, stood before the flowers, and carefully broke off several branches, selecting the most brilliant and beautiful ones until he had a large handful.

Branch by branch, flower by flower, he carefully gathered them into a bouquet—fiery red, passionate and romantic.

It reminded him very much of that person.

Holding the vibrant red camellias, Qin Rongshi turned back to look at Liu Guyu, who was smiling at him—a big, unreserved smile, his lips curled high and his curved eyes brimming with joy, passionate and romantic.

It also very much resembled these flowers.

He brought the flowers over and handed them to Liu Guyu, a smile on his face that even he hadn’t noticed.

Liu Guyu: "Gimme those! Gimme! They’re so beautiful!"

He took them and bent down to smell them.

Qin Rongshi said softly, "Wild camellias don’t have much fragrance."

Liu Guyu cradled the flowers like treasures, then dragged his basket closer to his feet. First, he looked up at Qin Rongshi and said, "They do have a scent!"

Qin Rongshi frowned in confusion and was about to speak when he saw Liu Guyu pick the bright red camellias from the branches—one after another, filling his hands until he couldn’t hold any more, then dropping them into the basket.

Qin Rongshi: "..."

The smile on Qin Rongshi’s face stiffened slightly. After a moment of silence, he asked with difficulty, "...What are you doing?"

Liu Guyu looked up and replied, "Picking flowers."

"Fresh flowers don’t have much flavor, but when made into camellia cakes, they do. As soon as I saw those camellias, I thought of camellia cakes. With such fresh flowers, they’re sure to be fragrant!"

Qin Rongshi: "..."

Qin Rongshi was a bit annoyed, but when he looked at Liu Guyu, who was bent over seriously picking flowers, he thought that this person had always been carefree and straightforward—where would he have such subtle, hidden intentions? He must have had camellia cakes in mind from the start.

He sighed and sat back down beside Liu Guyu, obligingly helping him pick flowers.

Just as he reached out, Liu Guyu suddenly handed him a camellia branch.

Qin Rongshi: "...What’s this for?"

Liu Guyu tilted his head and smiled. "It’s for you. It matches you."

"Matches me?" Qin Rongshi couldn’t help but laugh, a rare hint of teasing in his tone. "Flowers are meant for beauties. I’m not a beauty—how does it match me?"

Liu Guyu pouted, then promptly opened Qin Rongshi’s hand and stuffed the flower into it.

"Who says flowers are only for beauties? Flowers suit gentlemen too. I picked the biggest and best branch for you!"

In just a few words, Liu Guyu managed to cheer Qin Rongshi up. His furrowed brows immediately relaxed, and a gentle smile warmed his eyes.

"Giving me flowers you just picked?"

Qin Rongshi laughed as he retorted, but his actions betrayed him—he carefully tucked the branch away, the smile on his lips growing wider and brighter, like an incoming tide.

"Fine then, I’ll accept it."

Liu Guyu gave another chuckle and tugged at Qin Rongshi, pulling him along to pick more flowers.

He added, "Didn’t you say last time that the flower cakes sold in the city aren’t good? That they have no floral taste, just an overwhelming sweetness? With so many camellias picked today, I’m definitely making you a camellia cake with real floral flavor."

Qin Rongshi paused suddenly and asked, "You’re making it for me?"

Liu Guyu continued picking flowers without looking up. "Who else? I don’t even like sweets."

Qin Rongshi’s heart leapt, and he stared intently at Liu Guyu, who was still busy working. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest. He could barely contain himself—he really wanted to pull him close and ask how he truly saw him.

"...Finally done." Liu Guyu noticed nothing unusual about Qin Rongshi beside him. He stood up with the basket and said to Qin Rongshi, "Stop spacing out. Let’s go find Banban and the others."

With that, he picked up the basket and walked ahead. The dazed Qin Rongshi sighed again and got up with a sigh to follow Liu Guyu.

He thought about it again and again, but in the end, he couldn’t resist and opened his mouth to ask.

"Liu Guyu, you..."

He had only spoken a few words when Liu Guyu, walking ahead, suddenly turned around. He rushed back looking down, making exaggerated grimaces as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

Qin Rongshi: "What’s wrong?"

Liu Guyu didn’t answer, just pointed behind them.

Qin Rongshi followed his gaze and saw two people standing half-hidden among the trees.

It was Luo Qingzhu and Song Qingfeng, embracing and kissing.