By the river, Guaizi was lapping at the water, his tail wagging occasionally. Lu Gu, tired from bending over, stood up to rest, still holding the sickle. When Guaizi looked behind him and let out a soft whine, Lu Gu turned and saw Shen Xuanqing approaching.
“I’ll do it,” Shen Xuanqing said as he walked over, taking the sickle from Lu Gu’s hand. He quickly cut a small pile of grass, the kind the calf liked to eat.
Once the bamboo basket was full, the sun was hidden behind clouds, and the heat wasn’t as intense. The two of them sat on the rocks by the river to rest.
Lu Gu watched curiously as Shen Xuanqing began weaving something out of grass. “What are you making?” he asked.
“You’ll see in a moment,” Shen Xuanqing replied with a smile.
After watching for a while, Lu Gu reached out to pat Guaizi’s head. Noticing a few snails clinging to the rocks by the water’s edge, he walked over, found a stable rock to squat on, and began picking up the snails one by one.
It wasn’t the season for snails to be plump and meaty, they were still full of eggs and didn’t taste very good. But they could be crushed and fed to the chickens.
Lu Gu was quite engrossed in his task, even flipping over rocks in the water and tossing them onto the shore.
Shen Xuanqing paused his grass-weaving to watch him, a smile tugging at his lips.
Wei Lanxiang was nearby, herding the ducks. When she noticed the two of them by the river, she used a bamboo pole to guide the ducks over. She was also carrying a basket of grass she had cut for the rabbits.
“Mom,” Lu Gu called out, still busy flipping rocks. He smiled even wider when he saw the ducklings he had raised swimming toward him.
“Snails at this time? They’re not good to eat, they’re full of eggs,” Wei Lanxiang said, glancing at Shen Xuanqing, who was sitting there weaving grass. She couldn’t help but give him a sideways look. Her useless son, instead of working, was sitting there playing with grass.
Hearing this, Lu Gu tossed the wet snails onto the shore and said with a smile, “I’m getting them for the chickens. I’ll crush them and feed them later.”
The ducks didn’t need much herding, they naturally found snails and small fish to eat in the water. When Wei Lanxiang heard they were for the chickens, she found a spot nearby and squatted down to start picking snails too.
The chickens and ducks at home were precious, and they had to be well-fed and cared for to ensure they laid eggs properly.
Without the clouds to block it, the sun shone brightly, making everyone squint. Dipping their hands in the river water provided some relief from the heat.
Shen Xuanqing kept his head down, quietly weaving grass, but he felt somewhat reassured when he saw Wei Lanxiang treating Lu Gu with kindness.
“This is enough,” Wei Lanxiang said, glancing at the snails on the shore. She stood up, wiping the water droplets from her hands, and said to Lu Gu, “It’s time to feed the rabbits. Did you cut this grass for the cows?”
“Mm.” Lu Gu nodded and said, “Mom, I’ll go back with you.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Shen Xuanqing.
Without needing to be told, Shen Xuanqing understood. “I’ll watch the ducks. You two go ahead.”
Life went on as usual after they got busy, except for the lingering unease in their hearts.
However, that unease dissipated somewhat when Shen Xuanqing gave him a grass-woven grasshopper. Shen Xuanqing was skilled with his hands, even crafting the grasshopper's long, thin antennae, which trembled as he moved it.
Lu Gu was both surprised and delighted. He touched the antennae of the grass woven grasshopper, his eyes filled with joy. This was something children played with, adults who played with such things were often criticized for being frivolous. That’s why Wei Lanxiang had given Shen Xuanqing a disapproving look earlier.
“It looks so real,” Lu Gu said, unable to put it down, and he didn’t hesitate to praise it.
Seeing his fulang so pleased, Shen Xuanqing felt a surge of pride, though he kept his expression composed. In a low voice, he said, “As long as you’re happy. Don’t overthink things. I’m here, and I won’t let you suffer.”
Only then did Lu Gu realize that the grass woven grasshopper was meant to cheer him up. He was momentarily stunned, then overwhelmed with joy, feeling a warm current fill his heart. His hands and feet seemed to tingle with happiness, and he stammered, “Okay, okay, I won’t overthink it, I won’t overthink it.”
Wei Lanxiang had gone out to herd the ducks, so only the two of them were left in the new house.
Lu Gu held the grass woven grasshopper in his hand, wondering where to keep it. This was something Shen Xuanqing had made for him, and he didn’t want anyone else to take it.
“Which one’s better, mine or Liu Fang’s grasshopper?”
Lost in thought, Lu Gu was caught off guard when Shen Xuanqing mentioned Liu Fang. He looked up, confused.
Liu Fang was his childhood playmate, but they hadn’t seen each other since they grew up. The only time Lu Gu had thought of him was during the Lantern Festival when he and Shen Xuanqing had gone to town to see the lanterns.
“Just tell me, which one’s better?” Shen Xuanqing tried to sound casual, but anyone could tell he was determined to get an answer.
What Liu Fang or Liu Yuan, he was being magnanimous by not making a big deal out of it. If it were a more petty man, there would have been a huge fuss. He had simply remembered that Liu Fang had once woven a grasshopper for Lu Gu and even caught crickets to make grass cages.
But back then, Liu Fang was just a child. Could anything he made compare to Shen Xuanqing’s craftsmanship?
Shen Xuanqing grumbled inwardly, but his face showed nothing. He didn’t even realize the jealousy bubbling up inside him, maintaining his usual calm and steady demeanor as he waited for an answer.
Lu Gu knew he wasn’t the smartest, but he wasn’t foolish either. Shen Xuanqing had gone to the trouble of weaving such a lifelike grass woven grasshopper for him, so he picked up the grass woven grasshopper and answered without hesitation, “This one’s better.”
His smile was so bright that the tall, composed man couldn’t help but soften. The sharp lines of his jaw and brow relaxed, and his eyes, usually so intense, sparkled like stars.
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