Although Lu Gu was a shuang’er and didn’t need to produce milk, his body was weak after childbirth and required extra nourishment. Last year, Ji Qiuyue had eaten well, and Lu Gu wouldn’t be treated any less.
“Alright.” Lu Gu’s voice was lighthearted. After giving birth, he no longer suffered from stomach discomfort or nausea, and even duck meat no longer tasted fishy to him. He was more than happy to eat well. Knowing Wei Lanxiang had money to spare - two pig’s trotters were well within her means, he didn’t bother refusing out of politeness.
Guaizi was so filthy that the handkerchief turned black from wiping him. Lu Gu “disapprovingly” poked his head before standing up. “Come on, let’s go out. Lingjun’s sleeping.”
He walked out, and Guaizi followed without causing any trouble inside. The child’s swaddling clothes were spotless, and the diapers would need changing soon. Lu Gu carefully washed his hands with wild soapberries. He didn’t mind being dirty himself, but the child was so clean, and he couldn’t risk contaminating anything.
He broke off half a coarse bun for Guaizi, but the dog sniffed it and refused to eat. Wei Lanxiang scolded him for being picky, how could he turn down such good food?
Stewing the duck would take a while. After a few more curses, she got up to go to the new house and call Shen Xuanqing to catch a duck. Before leaving, she tried to get Guaizi to come along, but the dog hid under the table, only his tail and half his rear visible. She had no choice but to go alone.
Once Wei Lanxiang was gone, Lu Gu secretly shelled a handful of peanuts for Guaizi. If the dog cracked the shells himself, he’d leave a mess, so Lu Gu did it for him, planning to claim he’d eaten them himself. Ever since Guaizi had stolen peanuts last time, he’d noticed the dog had quite a fondness for them.
Ji Qiuyue came out of her room carrying Zhao’er and laughed when she saw him feeding peanuts to the dog. “My, such fine treats! No wonder everyone says our dogs eat better than most. No surprise they’re all so glossy and well-fed.”
“ Sister-in-law.” Lu Gu wasn’t afraid of being caught. He looked up with an ingratiating smile, unconsciously mimicking Shen Yan’s way of calling Ji Qiuyue, the drawn-out tone at the end almost coquettish.
Seeing his sweet, charming smile and hearing that “ Sister-in-law,” Ji Qiuyue’s heart melted. She pursed her lips in amusement. “Don’t worry, I can keep a secret. I won’t even tell your Brother Daqing.”
Relieved, Lu Gu grinned and continued shelling peanuts for Guaizi. The peanuts they’d been eating lately were from last year’s harvest; the new peanuts and firewood beans wouldn’t be ready for another half month.
As he shelled, he popped a couple into his own mouth. The moment Zhao’er saw his lips moving, the little one eagerly reached out, grasping at the air.
“You’re such a glutton too.” Ji Qiuyue chuckled, lightly patting her son’s chubby little hand. He was still too young, with barely any teeth, so peanuts were off-limits.
Zhao’er protested. Now that he was older, he had his own opinions. He stretched out his hand, demanding a share. Ji Qiuyue had no choice but to secure his tiger-head hat and break off a tiny piece of white bun for him to play with and nibble on.
Another cold breeze blew in. After feeding Guaizi the last of the peanuts, Lu Gu told him to stay in the main hall and returned to his room.
With the rain keeping them indoors, Ji Qiuyue carried Zhao’er to his room for a chat. She set Zhao’er on the bed to sit. Zhao'er was already one year old, plump and sturdy, and grew heavy after being carried for long.
“Where’s little brother?” Ji Qiuyue asked him.
Zhao’er could already understand some adult speech and was quite clever. Having spent time in Lu Gu’s room every day lately, he knew exactly who “little brother” was. With a few babbling sounds, his little finger pointed at the sleeping Little Lingjun in the bed.
“So smart!” Lu Gu couldn’t help but praise. His smile seemed to elicit a response, Zhao’er waved his hands and giggled, scattering the bun crumbs he’d been clutching onto the bed.
“I knew you weren’t really hungry.” Ji Qiuyue knew her son too well. The little one always clamored for food when he saw others eating. She picked the crumbs from his hand and ate them herself, then brushed the ones on the bed away.
As they chatted and played with Zhao’er, Little Lingjun began to cry from inside the bed.
Lu Gu remained calm, picking the child up and patting him gently to reassure him. Lingjun’s cries gradually softened. With Zhao’er sitting on the bed entertaining himself, Ji Qiuyue went out to heat a needle in the fire beneath the clay stove before piercing open a milk fruit.
Handing the fruit to Lu Gu, she smiled. “Rich families in town hire wet nurses after having children. We can’t afford that, but since Zhao’er drinks less milk now, mostly having rice soup and bits of bun, why don’t I try feeding Lingjun? See if he’ll take mine.”
At her suggestion, Lu Gu smiled and passed the child to her.
Ji Qiuyue was well-practiced at nursing. Untying her clothes, she guided the child to latch on. Little Lingjun actually drank, sucking eagerly with his eyes closed just as he did with the milk fruit. Delighted, she laughed. “Our Lingjun will surely be close to his auntie in the future. Even if I don’t have a daughter, I’ll have a little shuang’er to dote on.”
After a few sips, since the milk fruit had already been opened, Zhao’er saw Lingjun nursing and immediately scrunched up his face, wailing. Ji Qiuyue stopped feeding and handed Lingjun back to Lu Gu, smiling. “The fruit can keep, but such a small child should have it fresh.”
Lu Gu cradled the child and fed him the milk fruit with one hand, nodding in agreement.
Zhao’er cried twice, then stopped abruptly once he saw his little brother was no longer nursing. Ji Qiuyue pinched his plump little arm, amused. “All thunder, no rain—so stingy! What’s wrong with little brother having a little milk?”
[干打雷不下雨 (gān dǎléi bú xiàyǔ): lit. Thunder but no rain, describes someone who makes a big show of emotion (like crying or anger) but with no real substance or lasting effect.]
Zhao’er, oblivious, grabbed at the quilt to play as if nothing had happened. Watching from the side, Lu Gu couldn’t help but laugh.
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