Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Fu Yuze was touching his foot!

Jiang Jining froze, rooted to the spot and thunderstruck. He was completely out of his depth, a wave of shame, indignation, and confusion washing over him.

His mother and father had told him he was different from ordinary men. The crimson birthmark above his eye was so strikingly vivid that he should keep his distance from other men, just to be safe, and certainly not let anyone casually see his body.

The instep of his foot was still pale.

His muddy sole made it impossible to tell if he was injured.

It only made Fu Yuze more suspicious that Jiang Jining had been walking barefoot on the ground.

"Stand still."

Putting aside for now the question of whether he'd been messing around, Fu Yuze reached out with a long arm, turned on the tap, scooped some water, and scrubbed one of his feet, revealing the flawless, pale skin beneath. He lifted it to inspect.

No bite marks.

With the woods so close, a few snakes or bugs were to be expected. A healthy, simple ecosystem was good for the crops.

It wasn't so great for Jiang Jining, though.

Still not convinced, Fu Yuze said, "The other one."

"No!"

Jiang Jining stomped his foot back into the dirty shoe.

A blush rose on his cheeks. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it, his chest heaving. He turned and ran out into the blazing sun.

Fu Yuze: "?"

What mischief had he gotten up to?

The answer was a figure running farther and farther away.

The rain boots were too big and didn't fit well. Jiang Jining stumbled off without a backward glance.

Fu Yuze picked up the water bottle and umbrella. His gaze fell on the pristine white socks behind the faucet. He picked them up, turned them the right way out, and followed. Seeing the distant figure stagger ahead, he couldn't help but call out by full name, "Jiang Jining, watch your step."

Falling in the field was no joke.

Fu Yuze kept a respectful distance, giving Jiang Jining his space, following at an unhurried pace.

The gap between them widened.

By the time they returned to the house, Jiang Jining was long gone.

Fu Yuze draped the two white socks over the sun-drenched wooden railing. Before entering the house, his steps halted.

At the doorway lay a few mud-smeared green onions, looking utterly defeated.

Fu Yuze: "..."

He couldn't help but laugh.

After washing his hands, he gathered the fresh green onions, washed them clean, and brought them into the kitchen.

This place wasn't lived in often, so the walls were thin.

Accompanied by the *tap, tap, tap* of footsteps overhead, Fu Yuze busied himself at the stove, lighting the fire.

The firewood and tinder prepared in advance were of excellent quality. In less than two minutes, he dusted off his hands and stood up, inspecting the vegetables in the sorting baskets that Jiang Jining had personally picked.

He would use whatever he could.

The ones that were truly no good would become garnish.

*Thud!*

A loud noise came from above.

Fu Yuze looked up, listening carefully. This was followed by a ten-second silence, with not even footsteps.

Sounded like an accident.

Fu Yuze began washing the vegetables a second time, separating and preparing the ingredients in various ways. He tied on an apron and started making scallion oil. Overhead, faint, shuffling footsteps started up again, accompanied by a dragging sound, as if in a furtive attempt to fix things.

Second floor.

Jiang Jining was placing a flowerpot back on the windowsill.

Turning around, he slowly crouched down, hands on his knees, pursing his lips as he looked at the second pot of vines on the floor.

It was an accident.

Right, a broom! Jiang Jining searched through the rooms and found cleaning tools on the balcony. He made a clumsy attempt to clean up the mess, but it still looked dirty. The other tools looked too complicated; he didn't know how to use them. So, he simply wet a towel and wiped the floor.

It was clean now.

Satisfied with his work, Jiang Jining left.

Washing his hands on the balcony, he finally saw his own smudged face in the mirror. He rubbed at his face with his hand, then tidied his hair. He didn't know how Auntie Tao had styled his pretty bun so well; it hadn't come loose despite wearing the straw hat all the way, only a few strands had fallen out.

Cooking smoke rose.

It felt different from the refined atmosphere of meal preparation at home.

The *clang* and *sizzle* of stir-frying came from the kitchen, making Jiang Jining, who was hesitating about going downstairs, feel hungry.

Fu Yuze had been in the kitchen the whole time.

Jiang Jining made his way down one flight holding the railing.

Then he stopped again. His gaze swept across the living room, and through the window, his eyes immediately landed on something important—the two white socks were pegged up neatly, fluttering in the breeze.

The kitchen curtain was drawn, keeping the smell of cooking inside.

Jiang Jining hurried downstairs, went outside to snatch the socks. No one was at the door, and it was right in the draft between the inside and outside. He simply pulled over a camping chair that was leaning against the wall, unfolded it, and sat down to put on the socks.

Actually...

He wasn't angry anymore.

Socks on, Jiang Jining slid his feet partway into his shoes, rested his chin in his hand, and gazed at the vast fields and white greenhouses in the distance.

His father and mother warned him to keep other men at a distance, afraid they might be dishonorable and get the wrong idea—where they were from, marriage was still primarily between a man and a woman, and having multiple wives and concubines was common. Not everyone was like his parents.

Men born with vermilion moles can also continue the family line, but the risks of pregnancy and childbirth are far higher than for women. Most of the children born are daughters, or sons with the same physical makeup as them. Both the nobility and commoners have a taste for men, yet it is rare for a man to enter a household as the primary wife. Often, they are sweet-talked into short flings, ending up either abandoned or taken in as a concubine.

In poorer families, such children are sold off to become concubines or servants, exchanged for money to support the household.

Jiang Jining had grown up hearing such stories.

On top of his parents' earnest warnings, his elder brothers and sisters also told him daily not to allow his cousins to hug or carry him, let alone outsiders. As a result, his temperament became naive, and he ended up keeping all unfamiliar men at arm's length.

This, too, was problematic.

Now that he was here, many kind-hearted people had helped him—men and women, old and young—all without any ulterior motives.

If they wanted anything at all, like the plump kid who helped him find his watch by the lake that day, it was only wanting a corn sausage as a reward.

Especially...

Jiang Jining lowered his eyes, his thick lashes blocking the light.

In his daily interactions with Fu Yuze, he truly couldn't find any fault.

This man was more handsome than some sons of nobility and princes he had seen before, outstanding in appearance; he had saved him from the water twice, a man of upright character; skilled at cooking, not one to believe a gentleman should stay out of the kitchen, practical and hardworking; he spoke with propriety, which showed his noble and principled character, and unlike some men who would stammer incoherently upon seeing him.

All things considered, he was truly a rare and exemplary gentleman!

Just earlier, Jiang Jining, while running, encountered a few big green caterpillars and spiders, and then remembered why Fu Yuze had grabbed his foot. His initial feelings of shame, anger, and unease faded away. On the way, he saw the scallions from the "task" and pulled them out.

Would Fu Yuze understand his peace offering?

Jiang Jining wrapped his arms around himself, vexed. Otherwise, he didn't know what else to do.

As he pondered, the hot sun grew more intense.

He touched his slightly warm arm and cheek, planning to go inside, when the low, steady rumble of an engine sounded in his ears.

Jiang Jining hadn't expected anyone else to come out here.

He looked up and saw a slender, graceful figure getting out of the car, backlit, with smooth, shiny chestnut-brown long curls. The woman shielded her eyes with her slender fingers and also looked in his direction.

Her ring finger glittered.

A luxurious and exquisite pink gemstone sparkled enticingly.

The woman suddenly smiled, her aura was intellectual and incredibly gentle. The next moment, Jiang Jining understood why he felt that way.

The woman turned sideways toward the car, bent down as if whispering a few words, then scooped something up and settled it on her shoulder. In a blink, two fair, tender little feet appeared around her slender waist.

There was a little one.

Jiang Jining was the youngest child in his generation.

Thus, he had witnessed many of his peers start families and have children. He was also the best-looking of his generation, and his nieces and nephews all loved competing to be held by him.

Growing up, every few years, there would always be sweet, soft little bundles to play with.

Jiang Jining loved his elder brother Jiang Heng's twin son and daughter the most. Just four years old, a pair of dragon and phoenix twins, exquisitely beautiful, clever, and adorable, they loved clinging to him the most, filling the mansion with laughter and joy.

Raised in such an environment since childhood, he was actually very fond of children.

While lost in thought, the woman was already walking over, carrying the child, smiling as she met Jiang Jining's eyes. Glancing toward the kitchen, she understood, "It seems the farm has a distinguished guest today."

The woman gently held her son's little hand, her gaze tender and doting, "Say hello to big brother."

Jiang Jining was already captivated by the child in her arms.

It was just too adorable.

Looking closely...

There was even some resemblance to Fu Yuze.

Jiang Jining suddenly remembered what the nanny at Bian Jiacheng's house had said: Fu Yuze is truly experienced with children, he knows everything.

...Could one form a family here without marriage?

But when the little one looked at him with big, watery eyes, cheeks fair and flushed, still drowsy from just waking up, Jiang Jining was left with only one thought: to hold him.

"How old is he?"

Jiang Jining snapped back to reality and started making conversation.

"Almost thirteen months old," Ji Huan replied, finding the way he looked at the child equally adorable. She chuckled, bouncing the little chubby bundle in her arms, "Would you like to hold him?"

Jiang Jining was surprised, "Is that okay?"

Where he came from, with a child this small, one had to be very careful even if a stranger just looked at them for too long.

"Of course," Ji Huan gestured toward the car behind her, "I want to check if I left anything behind. I could really use your help."

Jiang Jining naturally said, "Okay."

Xingxing hadn't seen him before and was very curious. Mimicking his mother, he softly called out "big brother," then settled quietly in Jiang Jining's arms. The pacifier clipped to his bib dangled in mid-air, his two fair little fists resting on Jiang Jining's shoulders.

The big one and the little one looked at each other, both seeming to like the other very much.

Jiang Jining's way of holding the child was textbook perfect.

Afraid the child might cry or fuss being too far from his mother, he shielded Xingxing's chubby face from the sun and turned direction, "Over there."

Xingxing was bold, showered with enough affection that he didn't realize he was being "left behind." He pursed his lips, then twisted his head to stare intently at Jiang Jining, so focused it was as if he was scanning and recording his features.

Jiang Jining couldn't help but laugh, using the bib to wipe the child's mouth, "How come you're still drooling?"

So shiny.

Fu Yuze came out and saw this scene.

He didn't have time to figure out why his precious nephew was in Jiang Jining's arms; he just stood there rooted to the spot.

These two adorable creatures had met.