Lu Gu defended Guaizi. "He’s just growing his winter fur. He looks bigger now, but in summer, when his coat thins out, he’ll slim down."
But as soon as he finished speaking, the sound of Shen Yan patting Guaizi’s sturdy body made it clear just how solid he was. Lu Gu rubbed the dog’s furry head and silently admitted that the word "slim" might not hold up.
Shen Xuanqing, standing nearby, didn’t say anything, but he couldn’t help laughing. Even in summer, Guaizi had never been particularly thin.
Still, he kept quiet. No need to undermine Lu Gu’s dignity.
Spotting two dogs at the village entrance, Guaizi trotted over. When Lu Gu and the others caught up, they saw Lin Jinhu’s big yellow dog out playing too.
Having nursed a litter of puppies, the yellow dog was much thinner now, her teats swaying as she walked. The puppies were two months old, and sometimes, when the mother grew tired of feeding them, she would wander off for long stretches, only returning reluctantly when Lin Jinhu’s wife called her back.
Puppies were usually taken home at three months, as they were easier to raise by then. When Shen Xuanqing and Lu Gu had returned from their month-long stay in the mountains, they had only seen the four puppies playing in Lin Jinhu’s yard. Though the mother dog was annoyed by them, she would still snap at strangers who tried to approach unless a family member was present.
Since their home was at the very end of the village, they passed Lin Jinhu’s house as usual. Lu Gu instinctively glanced toward the yard but didn’t see the puppies today.
Shen Xuanqing noticed his look and said, "We’ll come back to see them after lunch."
"Alright." Lu Gu nodded.
At home, Wei Lanxiang had already set the table, waiting for them to return.
With wild vegetables scarce now, they had steamed buns with dried wild vegetables from before, which still tasted good. There was a stir-fried dish of autumn vegetables and another of long beans, both homegrown. There was no meat today, but they had three salted duck eggs, just enough to divide among the six of them.
Shen Xuanqing picked one with the most yolk for Lu Gu. When cut open, the red oil seeped into the egg white, making it look especially appetizing.
He was so blatant about it, but Wei Lanxiang didn’t say anything, instead cheerfully urging Lu Gu to eat.
The duck eggs used for pickling at home all came from Lu Gu’s stock, while Wei Lanxiang’s were reserved for selling. So no one else could complain, after all Shen Xuanqing was just eating what was rightfully his.
With so many mouths to feed, their family used large bowls for dishes; otherwise, with two strong young men at the table, smaller portions wouldn’t suffice.
Mid-meal, Zhao’er woke up in the room and began crying without anyone nearby. Ji Qiuyue quickly set down the remaining half of her wild vegetable bun and went to fetch the child.
Shen Yaoqing turned to look but hadn’t even swallowed his food when Wei Lanxiang said, "Keep eating. I’ll go relieve Qiuyue once I’m done."
"Alright," he mumbled around his mouthful.
After the meal, Lu Gu washed the dishes as usual. He poured out the dishwater in the kitchen, and Shen Xuanqing followed him in.
"How did it go in town today?" he asked while wiping the counter. Earlier, when they’d returned from the fields, they’d been distracted by other topics, so he hadn’t had the chance to ask.
"Not bad. The rabbits sold for forty-five coppers each, but only two were sold." As he spoke, Shen Xuanqing took out a pouch from his pocket, glanced inside, and handed it to Lu Gu. "I’ll go up the mountain again tomorrow or the day after. I’ll hunt as many foxes as I can, if I delay too long at home, once the snow falls, it’ll be impossible to go up."
"Keep these coins for yourself. I won’t need money up in the mountains."
Seeing that Lu Gu’s hands were full, he stepped forward and tucked the pouch directly into his clothes.
Lu Gu hadn’t been to the new house today and asked reflexively, "What about the other four? Did you bring them back?"
"No, I left them with Luo Biao. I asked him to check if the brothel wants rabbits. The kitchen staff will inspect those four, and we should hear back in a couple of days. If the brothel buys them, we’ll have a steady buyer in the future. They might not take many, but at least we won’t have to hawk them on the streets as much."
Selling to a brothel.
Lu Gu’s hands stilled, and he looked up at Shen Xuanqing.
Shen Xuanqing understood his concern immediately and explained with a smile, "It’s a brothel, but we’d only deal with the kitchen, using the back door. We wouldn’t go near the main building. It’s no different from selling to restaurants or taverns, nothing to worry about."
Lu Gu nodded in understanding, then hesitated before asking, "You… you went to see Luo Biao?"
Luo Biao worked as an enforcer at the brothel. If Shen Xuanqing had gone to see him, did that mean…?
It took Shen Xuanqing a moment to grasp his meaning, and he quickly clarified, "I did go to see him, but I didn’t enter the brothel. Luo Biao lives in a small alley next to it."
Lu Gu felt a little embarrassed. He wasn’t looking down on Luo Biao, anyone Shen Xuanqing called a good person couldn’t be bad. It was just that the mention of a brothel made him inexplicably nervous. Seeing Shen Xuanqing’s hurried explanation, he flushed slightly and said quietly but earnestly, "I know."
I know you definitely didn’t go inside.
Even unspoken, Shen Xuanqing understood. He grinned and pinched Lu Gu’s cheek, then glanced outside to make sure no one was in the yard before quickly leaning in to nip Lu Gu’s lips.
"You—" Lu Gu hated being kissed during the day and grew flustered. He wanted to protest but didn’t dare raise his voice, so he could only frown at Shen Xuanqing in displeasure.
Shen Xuanqing, no longer the shy young man he once was, just smirked and whispered, "You’re the one who wronged me first. Consider this my compensation."
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