Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The two of them still took the small path along the river on the other side of the village to sneak back home. They had returned fairly early this time, so after putting things away, they both went into the kitchen to make dinner.

Zhong Yizhu's cooking skills, after this period of practice, hadn't improved much, so when both were present, it was usually Pei Mu who did the cooking.

However, Zhong Yizhu's enthusiasm for cooking hadn't waned. The time before last, he had steamed a pot of undercooked rice, and last time, he had boiled a pot of burnt porridge. Fortunately, he wasn't a picky eater, and Pei Mu let him bustle around the kitchen, even if no one knew exactly what he was doing; it was simply a comforting sight.

Back when Pei Mu was still in the Pei family, during the hottest days of summer, Tian Shi would order him to tend the kitchen fire.

He'd stoke the flames, sweat stinging his eyes, his stomach growling with hunger. The aroma wafting into his nose seemed to drill into his brain. It wasn't even fine food, but to him it was an unmatched delicacy—yet he knew clearly that none of it was for him.

In winter, shivering in his thin clothes, the warm spot by the stove wasn't his anymore. He'd huddle against the wall, listening to Tian Shi in the kitchen coaxing Pei Jin, promising to make him meat for New Year's. Pei Jin would ask in his childish voice, "Is that jinx celebrating New Year's with us, Mother? I don't want to be with him."

Tian Shi would laugh and soothe him: "Jin'er, don't worry. Having him at the table will bring bad luck to our family's fortunes next year. Your father won't allow it..."

Later, when he got older and began learning skills from Hunter Wang, he stopped obeying Tian Shi's orders. But that dark, windowless kitchen—perpetually dim—remained the place he hated most in his memories of the Pei family.

His own house had been built carelessly at first, but the kitchen was the one room he had deliberately modified. Two of the three walls had windows. Though the view outside was just bare courtyard walls, the room was always bright in the daytime.

Even so, he had never liked cooking or tending the stove, always just making do.

Now, everything was completely different.

Beneath the kitchen window, on the courtyard wall, Zhong Yizhu had moved some unknown wildflowers from the back mountain. But he had no knack for transplanting or taking care of them, and a few of the flowers were now drooping half-dead, seemingly beyond saving.

On the other windowsill, Zhong Yizhu had taken the red-leafed branch they'd just brought back and placed it in an earthenware jar. He always had a knack for such things—and arranged it beautifully.

As Pei Mu sliced the meat, a mischievous idea struck him. He called out to the busy Zhong Yizhu.

"Zhu Ge'er, is that kiss from before the only thanks I'm getting?"

"Hmm?" Zhong Yizhu was struggling with a garlic clove on the other side of the stove. He looked up, and it took him a moment to understand what Pei Mu meant.

He was generous by nature and immediately replied, "What do you want? Anything is fine."

Pei Mu watched Zhong Yizhu as he continued working: "That one doesn't count. Do it exactly the way I usually kiss you—repeat it from the beginning."

Zhong Yizhu had been mentally planning to make Pei Mu new clothes or give him hand cream or something, but this shameless request took him by surprise, and he nearly threw the garlic away.

Pei Mu's face was always expressionless, making him look unapproachable. No one would ever guess that what he wanted to do was just as lecherous as any womanizer's.

And with that very expression, he called to Zhong Yizhu: "Come here, Zhu Ge'er. You just agreed."

Zhong Yizhu's face turned red as he shuffled over hesitantly.

But the kitchen was small. No matter how he dawdled, there were only a few steps between them.

Pei Mu had already stopped his work, looking as if he was waiting for Zhong Yizhu to make a move. Zhong Yizhu steeled himself, not caring that his hands were still covered in garlic skin fragments. He pressed down on Pei Mu's shoulders, stood on his toes, and leaned in.

He closed his eyes and brushed his lips lightly against Pei Mu's. His heart pounded so fast that his fingers unconsciously tightened their grip.

He had never done anything so bold. No girl or boy in any family would ever be this daring.

Pei Mu watched Zhong Yizhu's tentative touch. He was so shy that the corners of his eyes were red, his eyelashes fluttering incessantly. His straight, delicate nose occasionally bumped into Pei Mu's face as he lost control.

Amid Zhong Yizhu's hesitant kisses, Pei Mu kept coaxing relentlessly: "Baby, stick out your tongue."

Zhong Yizhu's mind exploded. Embarrassed, he even found it hard to breathe. He didn't dare open his eyes, but he could feel Pei Mu's gaze fixed on his face.

Pei Mu didn't make a move. Zhong Yizhu could have pulled away at any moment.

After a long pause, he still obediently complied.

The moment Zhong Yizhu's tongue timidly entered, Pei Mu greedily sucked on it.

Zhong Yizhu's breathing grew ragged. He pressed hard against Pei Mu's shoulders to keep from collapsing. Pei Mu had said he would only let Zhong Yizhu kiss him, and he kept his word—just playing with his tongue, never intruding. But for Zhong Yizhu, that was already enough to make him dizzy and dazed.

A moment later, Zhong Yizhu gasped, leaning on Pei Mu's shoulder. His tongue was numb, and his limbs were weak. He closed his eyes and refused to move.

Pei Mu wrapped one arm around his waist and continued cutting meat with the other. Though his expression remained the same, he seemed to radiate joy from every pore.

That joy lasted all evening. Later that night, Pei Mu repaid that thank-you kiss with interest, and then some.

It wasn't until the moon was high in the sky that Pei Mu finally stopped his storm, cradling Zhong Yizhu and coaxing him to sleep.

Since Pei Mu often spent days up in the mountains, the two of them were mostly apart. Whenever they reunited, Pei Mu was always fierce, tireless, and it wasn't unusual for him to go all night.

This time, it ended much earlier than usual. Zhong Yizhu was a bit surprised, thinking time had just passed faster. But when Pei Mu blew out the candle and got into bed, and Zhong Yizhu saw the moonlight streaming through the window, he realized it really was still early.

Seeing that Zhong Yizhu's eyes were still bright and focused on him, Pei Mu leaned in for a kiss and murmured in a vague tone, "Zhu Ge'er still wants more?" His hand slid down as well.

"No!" Zhong Yizhu abruptly slapped his hand away, closed his eyes, and announced, "I'm going to sleep!"

Pei Mu withdrew his hand and wrapped it around Zhong Yizhu's waist. His voice was thick with amusement: "I'm going up the mountain tomorrow. When I come back, we can..."

Zhong Yizhu opened his eyes and deliberately ignored the blush-inducing second half of that sentence. In a hoarse voice, he asked, "Why the rush to go up the mountain this time?"

Pei Mu replied, "Autumn game is at its fattest and best. And Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon. No matter how much I catch, I can sell it at a good price. It's more tiring, but the earnings are better."

Usually, after coming down from the mountain, Pei Mu would rest for a while. Especially after their times together, he would almost always stay home the next day to work and keep Zhong Yizhu company.

Pei Mu's hunting income was generally stable, with occasional windfalls. There was no need for him to push himself this hard. Zhong Yizhu wanted to persuade him, but the words changed course in his throat and he swallowed them.

If Pei Mu was fully supporting his incense-making business, how could he turn around and stop Pei Mu from hunting? That wouldn't be right.

So he said what he always said: "Then be extra careful."

"Mm." Pei Mu held him tight and told him his plans. "In winter, I'll rest more. I'll find people to build a few more rooms for you to make incense."

"Okay."

"Build another bedroom too. When you miss your mother, we can bring her over to stay."

Pei Mu's house only had one bedroom. He was used to being alone and had never considered the possibility of someone staying over. Last time, when Zhong Yourong and his sister caused trouble, he brought Sun Yunniang and Zhong Yizhu back, and could only set up a makeshift bed in the storage room for one night.

Knowing how close Zhong Yizhu was to his mother, Pei Mu had thought of that.

"Okay..."

After all, they had been at it for two hours. Zhong Yizhu had been full of energy just moments ago, but sleep swept over him without warning. His responses to Pei Mu became drawn out. He forced himself to wait a little longer, but when Pei Mu said nothing more, he let himself sink into deep slumber.

The next day, he woke up to find the sun high in the sky. Zhong Yizhu pulled on his clothes, got up, ate the breakfast Pei Mu had left for him in the kitchen, grabbed his money pouch, and headed out.

Over at the old Zhong family house, Sun Yunniang was also about to leave.

Seeing Zhong Yizhu arrive, she smiled, put away her keys, and prepared to push open the courtyard gate. "I thought you weren't coming. I was about to head into town."

Zhong Yizhu locked the gate and said, "Let's go, Mother. I wanted to go too. We can talk about other things when we get back."

The previous two times after packing up his stall, Zhong Yizhu had immediately come to bring money to Sun Yunniang. This time, having waited most of the morning without seeing him, Sun Yunniang assumed he was held up by something and decided to first take care of her own affairs. In any case, Zhong Yizhu had the key to the old house, so he could let himself in when he arrived.

Sun Yunniang looked Zhong Yizhu over. Seeing his healthy color and lively spirit, she felt much of her worry ease.

Although he had been smiling when he visited last time, something had clearly been off. She guessed there might have been some setback in his business, but he didn't want to talk about it, so she didn't push. If he'd seemed the same this time, she definitely would have asked for a clear explanation; fortunately, it seemed the issue had been resolved.

Then she thought it over and her mood lifted. Now that everything was improving, life was truly looking up.

The two chatted all the way to town and went together to the fabric shop.

Zhong Yizhu intended to buy cloth to make two outfits for Pei Mu, and also one for himself. Pei Mu often ran around in the mountains, so his clothes wore out quickly. Besides, now that mornings and evenings were getting cold, he needed to make an extra padded garment for warmth.

He picked out thick cotton cloth for Pei Mu and also let his mother choose some for herself. Now that he could earn money, Sun Yunniang didn't want to reject his thoughtful gesture and followed his wishes to pick a bolt of cloth.

Zhong Yizhu paid, but when he turned around, he saw Sun Yunniang had picked out brightly colored fabric and was asking the clerk if they had rabbit-fur collars for trimming. Only then did it dawn on him: Mother had said she was buying fabric for herself, but she was really buying it to make him clothes.

Zhong Yizhu stopped the clerk who was about to fetch the fur collars and said to Sun Yunniang, "Mother, I won't wear this. I've already chosen my cloth; I'll just make a padded garment when I get home."

Sun Yunniang still told the clerk to fetch it: "Don't worry, I like sewing."

Zhong Yizhu couldn't win the argument with his mother, so he tried to pay instead, but Sun Yunniang grabbed his money pouch, and he couldn't get it back from her.

The figured fabric, plus the cotton and the fur collars, cost a full tael or more—the same amount his mother had earned by embroidering all those sachets.

When they came out of the fabric shop, Sun Yunniang saw that Zhong Yizhu still had a pained expression. She couldn't help smiling and reached out to tap the young man's forehead.

"Silly boy, have you forgotten that your birthday is coming soon? Do you think you should have to pay for your own birthday gift?"

Zhong Yizhu was startled. He had truly forgotten.

His birthday fell the day after the Mid-Autumn Festival. In previous years, the whole family would reunite on Mid-Autumn, and then his birthday would be celebrated just by the three of them. But now...

Seeing his expression change, Sun Yunniang changed the subject: "It only comes once a year, and it's not that expensive. Don't argue with me. When the day comes, bring Pei Mu over, and I'll make you your favorite dishes."

Zhong Yizhu snapped out of it and nodded in agreement. "Mother, don't worry about buying groceries. We'll buy them on our way back after closing up the stall on Mid-Autumn Festival day."

Sun Yunniang smiled and agreed, but secretly wiped her eyes when Zhong Yizhu wasn't looking.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunions.

Unfortunately, the person they wanted to reunite with had already left them forever.