Chapter 47

When Huo Shu descended from the mountain, he saw Zhou’s second son carrying a basket of pond shrimp, chasing after Taoyu.

After several refusals, he still insisted on offering the things to her.

“We just caught some new shrimp in the pond yesterday, take them home and enjoy.”

Taoyu, seeing Zhou Zheng persistently pursuing her, couldn’t refuse anymore and quickly went to fetch her purse, saying, “Thank you, Brother Zhou. How much is it? I’ll pay you.”

However, Zhou Zheng refused to take the money: “We are all neighbors from the same village, why talk about money? Just take it home.”

“How can that be? It’s not easy to manage the pond and raise fish and shrimp. I can’t just take them for free.”

“Don’t be polite, I have several ponds, I can still decide to give away some shrimp to others.”

Taoyu was somewhat at a loss seeing Zhou Zheng’s insistence.

Just then, a hand suddenly reached out from above, snatched the basket from Zhou Zheng’s hand, and then threw a silver coin over.

Zhou Zheng instinctively reached out to catch the thrown object, while at the same time, Huo Shu’s cold voice sounded, “We have something to attend to, let’s go.”

Without waiting for Zhou Zheng’s reaction, Huo Shu grabbed Taoyu and walked away.

Zhou Zheng finally reacted, watching the two departing figures, his mouth opened but seeing Huo Shu’s tall figure leading Taoyu away, he could only swallow his words.

“How much did you give him?”

Taoyu’s hand was held tightly by Huo Shu, while her other hand checked the weight of the shrimp basket.

Huo Shu lowered his gaze, looking at the little brother swinging the basket in his arms, and said, “You’re quite thrifty.”

Taoyu raised her head in response, “And you’re quite generous.”

“Probably about two or three coins.”

Shrimp was already not cheap, and there were about four or five catties here, which was about the right price.

He added, “I’m not necessarily generous, it’s just that the one who built the fish pond is generous, freely giving things away.”

Taoyu straightened up at his words. She looked at Huo Shu, whose expression remained unchanged, but his words were biting, “Are you angry?”

“If he had some real ability, he wouldn’t have done something useless after someone got married.”

Huo Shu said, “Is it necessary for me to get angry?”

Taoyu blinked, she understood clearly, maybe too clearly to make it interesting.

“Not getting angry makes my hand hurt so much.”

Huo Shu glanced down at the hand he was holding, indeed, he was holding it a bit tightly.

He loosened his grip a bit but didn’t let go, “I punched a bit hard just now, didn’t realize.”

Taoyu smiled faintly, not pushing further, and changed the subject, “How did the discussion with Brother Ge go?”

“After seeing how the training is going, we’ll come back another day to plan the route.”

They were teaching methods of using knives and guns, and everyone was diligently learning self-defense techniques. It was better than Huo Shu had imagined. He also taught them a set of boxing techniques to practice in the morning, which could help them stay healthy.

After all the commotion, there was no time to discuss the route.

Taoyu nodded.

When they returned home, it was already late. Taoyu saw her mother cutting cloth to make clothes, so she rolled up her sleeves and started cooking.

After the Lantern Festival, the villagers gradually returned to their normal lives from the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the month, and it seemed like spring was coming early this year, with clear skies every day at the end of the month.

Ji Yangzong had already begun visiting the neighboring villages, asking each household how many acres of land they were planning to cultivate this year, whether the men in the family would work in the village or go elsewhere to seek livelihoods.

During the winter, there was snow on the mountain, causing some trees and bamboo to die, and branches to break. The big oxen went up the mountain several times to collect firewood.

“Huo Shu, come and see, is this dress too narrow in the shoulders?”

Taoyu was preparing to wash the shrimp when she heard her mother’s voice.

She poked her head out of the window by the stove and saw her mother holding a ruler, about to measure Huo Shu’s shoulder width.

“When you’re out and about, you move around a lot. If the back shoulder area isn’t loose, it won’t be comfortable. The clothes your mother made for you are always a bit tight.”

“I have clothes to wear, mother doesn’t need to make more.”

Huang Manjing said, “I know you don’t like making clothes, but when you’re traveling, you need to have a spare set to change into. There’s no guarantee that your clothes won’t get damaged on the road. Although you can buy them on the road, why spend that unnecessary money when you can make them at home.”

Huo Shu responded.

Huang Manjing measured the size and smiled, “It’s almost done, go ahead.”

She went back into the house, and soon entered the kitchen.

“How do you want to eat these shrimp, stir-fried or boiled?”

Huang Manjing rolled up her sleeves, ready to help.

“We have a lot of fresh shrimp today, both stir-frying and boiling will be enough. Boiling is easier to do, so let’s keep some for that. Dad likes stir-fried ones, so make a plate of those too.”

Huang Manjing agreed, looking at the large shrimps in the basin, she said, “The shrimps from Hongli Village are well-raised.”

“If the weather is better, we can salt them and air dry them, then seal them up. Huo Shu can take them with him on the road.”

Speaking of this, Huang Manjing suddenly remembered something and went to fetch a large bamboo box.

“Look, these dried vegetables were harvested last year. They are light and can be stored for a long time. They’re perfect for eating on a long journey.”

Taoyu looked at the various dried vegetables in the bamboo box—radishes, Chinese cabbage, bamboo shoots, shepherd’s purse, bean thread… Vegetables from different seasons were gathered together, making a crisp sound when grabbed.

“With such a large bamboo box, it should be enough for them to eat for some time. When they’re about to leave, I’ll make some pancakes. Today I told your father to buy more pork if he finds it suitable. I’ll smoke and dry it so they can take it with them.”

Taoyu saw her mother already preparing the provisions for Huo Shu’s journey north, and she felt a strange feeling in her heart.

She had been busy with inventory and counting money these days, and she hadn’t thought about Huo Shu leaving for a distant journey.

Today, seeing her mother’s preparations and the large basket of dried vegetables, she suddenly realized that Huo Shu would be leaving soon, and it would be at least half a year before he returned.

Preparing all these things, she didn’t know if they would be useful. Just relying on Huo Shu’s skill of boiling eggs, he felt a lump in his throat.

At night, Taoyu took out a few boxes. It was time to start preparing things for Huo Shu’s journey. They couldn’t wait until the last moment to pack up; otherwise, they would inevitably miss this and that.

After discussing with Ji Yangzong about purchasing livestock for transporting goods, when he returned to the house, he saw the room in a mess, crowded with large boxes.

Taoyu was putting thin clothes for summer at the bottom of the box.

He looked at her concentrated face, obviously not in a good mood, and he hadn’t eaten many of the shrimp he liked at night.

When Ji Yangzong asked Huang Manjing, she said he had probably eaten too many snacks in the city and wasn’t hungry.

His parents didn’t know if he had eaten or not, how could he not know?

Huo Shu stepped over, “Just bring a few changes of clothes, no need for too many.”

“Even if it’s fewer, it should be enough for changing. When you’re out, cleanliness isn’t a priority, is it?”

Taoyu stuffed a pair of large trousers into the box, “This is for business trips, not escorting someone.”

“Who upset you?”

“No one.”

“That’s unreasonable.”

“That’s because you’re not eating either, with a long face.”

Taoyu pursed her lips, grabbed a shawl, and used it to avoid Huo Shu’s scrutinizing gaze.

“I-I was just thinking about what happened in Hongli Village today.”

“Zhou Zheng?”

Taoyu glanced at Huo Shu at his words.

“I mean the family that caused trouble today.”

In that household, life was hard. In order to find a way out, the man had to go out to work, leaving his wife at home to take care of his parents and children.

The woman worked hard from dawn till dusk, tending to the fields, and had to manage household chores like laundry and cooking. Her daily toil was no less strenuous than the man’s struggles outside.

When the man finally returned, it would have been acceptable if he hadn’t brought back any money. However, to their surprise, he brought back a young and delicate-looking lad halfway through his journey.

The man had been doing odd jobs outside, enduring hunger and hardship, hoping to save some money to bring back home. But fate intervened when he injured his leg in a distant land, and the heartless employer only gave him a small amount of money before sending him away.

The man spent all his money on medical treatment, luckily encountering the young lad who helped and nursed him back to health. Without this assistance, he might have perished in a foreign land.

Both sides had their grievances. The woman felt aggrieved because the man was rarely at home, leaving her alone to support the family. She had developed a fierce temperament over the years and stubbornly stuck to her own views, regardless of what others said, adamantly refusing to let anyone into the house.

The man was also in a dilemma, torn between gratitude and obligation. This morning’s commotion made everyone come to see the joke.

Taoyu happened to be there, and Zhou Zheng came over to greet her.

Huo Shu listened, his brows furrowing slightly.

“Are you worried I’ll bring someone back halfway?”

“I’m not.”

Taoyu sat down at the table.

With Huo Shu’s character, it wasn’t likely that he would attract attention.

But that household had never intended to attract attention, yet who knew what accidents might happen when they were out.

After all, wasn’t Huo Shu the one who saved someone halfway through his journey? After all those twists and turns, it ended up in a marriage.

He pursed his lips and said, “I’ve heard of a merchant in the city who travels for business all year round, sometimes for a year or more at a time. Once, when he suddenly returned home, he unexpectedly caught his husband in an affair.”

Taoyu blinked and looked at Huo Shu. “Isn’t that person miserable?”

Huo Shu poured a cup of tea, saying nothing.

Seeing his reaction, Taoyu continued, “If it were you, what would you do?”

Huo Shu stared directly into Taoyu’s eyes. “What could I do? Naturally, I would kill the adulterer.”

Taoyu felt a chill down her spine. “A-And the husband?”

“My husband is you.”

Huo Shu raised an eyebrow. “Are you testing my limits?”

“I’m not.”

“What I mean is, you can go out, just don’t suddenly come back halfway.”

Huo Shu’s brow twitched, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Taoyu suddenly found herself dangling in the air, and Huo Shu quickly caught her and threw her onto the bed.

The person in front of the bed blocked the oil lamp, casting a shadow, and Taoyu, watching Huo Shu undress, sensed danger and quickly curled up in the corner of the bed. “W-What are you doing?”

“I’ll teach you something about the bedroom. Otherwise, I won’t let you get away with seducing an adulterer.”

Taoyu widened her eyes at his words, but before she could curse, her mouth was covered and pressed into the bedding.

The lamp wasn’t extinguished, and the curtains weren’t drawn. The waves tossed and turned, and in the middle of it all, Huo Shu lifted Taoyu’s legs…

The next day, Taoyu woke up groggily, not knowing what time it was. She just felt that the bed was still warm.

Moving her body, her legs were soft and sore, her eyes opened with a slight sting, surely from crying for a long time last night.

In hindsight, she realized that a large hand was still wrapped around her waist. She turned her head and found, to her surprise, that Huo Shu hadn’t gotten up yet.

“What time is it?”

“Early morning.”

Taoyu furrowed her brows. “Not going to practice boxing?”

“I’ve already practiced.”

Taoyu pursed her lips. Normally, after boxing practice, he wouldn’t return to bed. He should be doing whatever he needed to do, not lingering in bed, and then she would have to scold him for lazing around and not eating breakfast.

It was indeed different when you had what you wanted. Not only did she not mind him sleeping in, but she also came back to accompany him for a while.

In the blink of an eye, he blinked, rubbed his waist, and leaned closer to Huo Shu, resting his head on his chin.

“Did we… um… do it last night?”

“Did you not notice if we did?”

Taoyu hmphed, feeling the sourness in her teeth.

But fortunately, the pain was fleeting, and even if it hurt more before, it would pass.

It seemed the doctor’s ointment wasn’t in vain, and these days weren’t wasted either.

She nudged Huo Shu, “Besides the pain, there’s nothing else. You should be more gentle; it’s like you’re deaf.”

“I didn’t use much force.”

Taoyu felt that Huo Shu hadn’t really gone all out; otherwise, with Huo Shu’s strength, his waist might have been broken.

Although he felt a bit off all over this morning, he felt much more relieved in his heart, as if a weight had been lifted off his chest.

He whispered, “What about you?”

Huo Shu pulled the blanket tighter around the person in his arms.

“I’m fine.”

“Just fine?”

Hearing this answer, Taoyu couldn’t help but raise his head, clearly dissatisfied with this response.

The vivid descriptions in the little booklet sounded so bland coming from Huo Shu’s mouth.

“And what about me?”

Huo Shu pinched Taoyu’s ear lightly, his words casual but turbulent inside.

The person in his arms had some wrinkles in their clothes, but the fabric was smooth, and holding them made him feel itchy, easily arousing the desire to do it again a few times.

But obviously, that wasn’t going to happen. After one round last night, the person couldn’t handle it anymore; they’d cry out and hug his neck if he made a move, making him want to do it recklessly.

The fragrance of warmth and soft jade, a first-time experience.

However, the person beneath him was indeed delicate; a few more sucks might cause the skin to break. It wouldn’t do to injure him.

“As the saying goes, ‘the golden list is inscribed, meeting old friends in a foreign land, a long drought meets a gentle rain, and the wedding night is one of life’s four joys.’ But I don’t see you happy?”

“Why do you know I’m not happy?”

“You didn’t say you were happy.”

“I am happy.”

Taoyu couldn’t help but smile at his words, leaning against Huo Shu’s neck. “Then do we have a little one on the way?”

“No.”

Taoyu raised his eyebrows at this answer. “Why not?”

“I wasn’t there, and it’s not the right time for children.”

For this reason, he restrained himself.

Taoyu felt a warm feeling in his heart, snuggling up to Huo Shu, affectionate but also a bit melancholy.

“Xiao Taozi.”

“Yes?”

“Do you not want me to go on business?”

Taoyu quickly said, “No!”

From the beginning, he had agreed to Huo Shu’s proposal. Now that there were enough people and the goods were stocked, there was no reason not to proceed. He wasn’t the kind of person to act unreasonably.

“Do you want to come with me?”

“I…”

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but Taoyu couldn’t argue back. Huo Shu had hit the nail on the head.

But he also didn’t dare to agree. His own weak body would only be a burden to Huo Shu. From childhood to adulthood, the farthest he had traveled was to the city in the same province. His parents would never agree to let him go so far away.

Saying it out loud would just make things difficult for Huo Shu.

He forced a smile, about to say no, that there was plenty of good food and drink at home, and he didn’t want to go through hardships. But before he could speak, Huo Shu spoke first, “I’ll take you.”