Chapter 35 New Year’s Eve Market

Chapter 35: The New Year's Eve Street Market

Reassured that Wu Qiu was physically fine, just overwhelmed with emotion and unable to hold back tears, Lei Ding felt relieved. He'd been a little sleepy before, but now he was completely awake. He went ahead and got up, took the fire striker, and lit the candle on the table, thinking that some soft light might help soothe him. Then he lay back down, pulling Wu Qiu back into his arms and patting his back to comfort him.

Wu Qiu had broken into a light sweat, his face, eyes, and the tip of his nose all flushed red as he curled up in Lei Ding's embrace. He didn't really want to cry, pursing his lips tightly and trying hard to hold back the tears, but this very effort made him look even more endearing. Lei Ding was in the prime of his youth, and it was early morning with a warm, fragrant softness in his arms. He had started by comforting Wu Qiu to stop his tears, but as he comforted him, unable to resist kissing Wu Qiu's lips a few times, things took a different turn.

It was unclear who took the first step. Neither was dressed yet. Wu Qiu only wore a bright red silk bellyband on his upper body. He disliked overly intricate patterns, so it was simply embroidered with a plain border, which made his skin appear even fairer, smooth, and delicate. The bellyband was loosely tied, pushed up by the swell of his belly. He was willing, even eager, but worried Lei Ding might hesitate. Seeing beads of sweat trickle from Lei Ding's temples, gathering at his jaw before dripping onto his bellyband, Wu Qiu nudged him with his leg. "Darling, it's alright. I know you'll be careful. Just be gentle."

Lei Ding was careful not to press on his belly, shifting slightly to the side as he leaned down to kiss him.

His movements were extremely light and tender, yet Wu Qiu's tears flowed again.

They carried on like this until the sky was fully light, the candle stub having burned out completely, while the two remained lingering in bed together. Lei Ding cleaned Wu Qiu up and helped him wash, making sure he was physically unharmed before finally feeling at ease and letting him rest a while longer.

Wu Qiu half-covered his face with the quilt, only one hand reaching out from underneath to grasp Lei Ding's hand. This time, he didn't want to cry. On the contrary, a smile tugged irresistibly at the corners of his mouth. Lei Ding pulled the quilt down a little, leaned in, and gently nipped his cheek, laughing. "Not crying now? Qiu Er, lie here for a bit. I'll go to the kitchen to see what's there and bring it back. We'll have breakfast together."

Hearing this, Wu Qiu quickly said, "I'll go with you. It's New Year's Eve; it would be disrespectful to the elders if I didn't show my face in the morning." With that, he started to push the quilt aside, preparing to sit up and get dressed.

Lei Ding knew he must be tired from the earlier exertion. Though his spirits were high, his body hadn't fully recovered yet. He hurriedly helped him lie back down. "What does it matter? At home, your comfort comes first. Look at Yue Er and Tan Er—aren't they both fond of sleeping in? It's fine. If they ask, I'll just say the weather turned cold today and I was afraid you'd catch a chill, so I didn't let you come out. The clinic doesn't need to open its main doors today; we'll only see patients with emergencies. After we eat, I'll take you out for a stroll."

It was New Year's Eve. Due to the recent disaster, the streets weren't as lively as in previous years, but every shop was still decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. Wu Qiu hadn't been out on the streets during such a season for a long time, so he naturally looked forward to it and didn't insist further, obediently lying down to wait for Lei Ding's return.

As soon as Lei Ding entered the kitchen, he found his two younger brothers up early today. They spotted him and immediately gathered around. Lei Tan clamored to go out to the streets, tugging at Lei Ding's clothes without letting go. "Big brother, we finally have free time today. Take Brother Qiu and let's all go out together. You didn't take us when you bought New Year's goods before. The street vendors are sure to have lots of new and interesting things today. Please take us!"

Cui Nanshan chimed in from the side. "It's good to go out for a walk. It's a perfect chance to take Xiao Qiu out to see the New Year's scenery of our Yongning City. Just be careful with the crowds; you must look after him well. Your father and I can manage the clinic."

When Lei Ding returned to their room in the east courtyard, Wu Qiu was already impatient, having dressed except for his outer robe and cloak, sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for him. Lei Ding laughed. "In such a hurry? It's still early. Let's eat first. Didn't you mention yesterday that you wanted a bowl of noodles? I cooked some today. Try it and see if it's to your liking."

Wu Qiu waited for him to set things down, then took his hand, making him sit beside him. "Wait, first feel this. He's moving."

Wu Qiu was now almost six months pregnant. The baby's movements weren't very strong yet; each time, he would just stir a little before settling down, so Lei Ding often missed them. Today, however, the baby seemed to share the joy, squirming and turning over. Wu Qiu took Lei Ding's hand and placed it on his belly, allowing Lei Ding to easily feel the little one beneath his palm. Since Wu Qiu became pregnant, Lei Ding had naturally taken meticulous care of him, but after all, the baby was inside Wu Qiu, so his own experience of it wasn't as profound. Now, feeling it directly with his hand brought a different kind of sensation, deeply moving him.

Wu Qiu swung his legs by the bedside, smiling as he looked at Lei Ding. "The baby is happy today too. Do you think he'll be able to sense the bustle of the market when we go out later?"

Lei Ding stood up, knelt on one knee beside Wu Qiu, and kissed his belly. The baby cooperatively moved again. Lei Ding also smiled. "It seems he will know."

The streets were indeed much more crowded than usual today. White steam rose from every shop, mingling with the aromas of various foods. Lei Ding held Wu Qiu close, carefully shielding him from being jostled. Lei Li walked alongside, carefully examining the goods on the stalls, while Lei Tan darted back and forth like a rabbit. Afraid he might get lost, Lei Ding forbade him from running too far, instructing Lei Li to hold onto him. Lei Li struggled to keep a grip on him as the two brothers walked along, bickering noisily. Lei Ding smiled at Wu Qiu. "Ignore them. Let them make their noise. Qiu Er, if you see anything you like at any shop, we'll go in and look."

The street was lined with shops on both sides: wine shops, restaurants, teahouses, pawnshops, and many stalls set up by merchants from the Western Regions. These foreign merchants looked very different from Han Chinese. Wu Qiu hadn't seen many foreigners before and couldn't help stealing a few glances. One bearded merchant with sharp eyes called out to him in somewhat clumsy Chinese. "Young master, come take a look here."

Startled by the call, Wu Qiu felt a bit flustered and wanted to avoid him. Seeing this, Lei Ding asked, "That stall mostly has trinkets from the Western Regions. They're quite delicate and interesting. Would you like to take a look, Qiu Er? If you want, we can go over. If not, it's fine too. He's just trying to attract customers; he calls out to everyone."

Wu Qiu didn't often see objects from the Western Regions either. Back in Xue Village when he went to the market, it was mostly nearby villagers selling ordinary goods. He found it novel, and with Lei Ding by his side, he felt less shy. So he nodded, letting Lei Ding lead him over. The stall displayed various spices and some jewelry made from materials Wu Qiu didn't recognize. Among them was a pair of earrings made of bright red material, polished to a smooth roundness. Their design was very simple yet elegant.

Noticing Wu Qiu's lingering gaze, Lei Ding picked up the earrings and held them beside Wu Qiu's ear, asking the merchant, "How much for these coral earrings?"

The merchant spoke in a deep, resonant voice, laughing. "Sir, you have a good eye. This is top-grade coral from Persia, the finest quality. Just this amount."

He extended his hand from within his sleeve—a practice called 'sleeve negotiation,' where the price is indicated with hand gestures instead of spoken words to prevent neighboring vendors from overhearing. Lei Ding made a counteroffer, but the merchant shook his head repeatedly. "This is top-grade coral. I can't go any lower."

Wu Qiu grew anxious. He couldn't see the number in the sleeve, only heard the merchant repeatedly emphasize "top-grade." He figured goods from Persia certainly wouldn't be cheap. He gave Lei Ding's hand a slight tug and shook his head.

The shrewd merchant noticed this young husband seemed unwilling to buy, likely finding it too expensive, and launched into a stream of praise, saying the coral would enhance one's complexion. Lei Ding then handed the earrings to Wu Qiu. "Qiu Er, put them on. Let me see."

Wu Qiu whispered, "They're too expensive..."

Lei Ding had examined them carefully; the coral quality was indeed good. Though lacking intricate carvings or embellishments, against Wu Qiu's ear, they were vibrant without being gaudy, charming without being ostentatious—a perfect complement. Seeing Wu Qiu hesitate, he comforted him while carefully helping him put them on. The merchant promptly offered a bronze mirror. Wu Qiu looked at his reflection and also thought they looked nice, but his heart still couldn't bear the expense. He told Lei Ding they should forget it.

He didn't know that Lei Ding was already familiar with the look in his eyes when he saw something he liked. Seeing it from the side, Lei Ding knew he was actually pleased. He held Wu Qiu's hand, stopping him from taking them off. "They look beautiful. Qiu Er, just wear them. We'll take them. It's not like we buy things like this every day. Once in a while is fine."

He leaned close to Wu Qiu's ear, lowering his voice with a laugh. "In my opinion, only when Qiu Er wears them do these earrings truly find their rightful owner."

While Wu Qiu blushed and lowered his head, Lei Ding handed two taels of silver to the merchant. The merchant's eyes lit up, showering them with auspicious well-wishes.

Wu Qiu's hand still touched the earring. After a long moment, he softly said to Lei Ding, "Thank you, brother. They're truly beautiful. I've never worn jewelry like this before."

He didn't mention the money again. It was already spent. Lei Ding wasn't someone who spent extravagantly; this time was just to make him happy. What mattered was his thoughtfulness. Besides, he genuinely liked them. He gave his head a little shake, making the earrings sway, and smiled at Lei Ding. "Brother, look."

With that smile and the red of the earrings, Wu Qiu looked different from his usual gentle demeanor, showing a touch of playfulness. For a moment, Lei Ding was dazzled by his smile, his gaze following his movements, utterly captivated.

-----------------------