Chapter 209
The weather grew increasingly hot, and at this moment, the sun was blazing. Lu Gu opened the back door and removed the threshold. Since Shen Yaoqing had first dropped off Ji Qiuyue and Zhao’er at the entrance of Zhenzhu Alley before turning around from the intersection of Nanji Street and entering through the back alley, he arrived a step later than his wife.
As he led the mule inside, Lu Gu was drawing up a bucket from the well using a windlass. Inside the bucket were two bamboo tubes of plum wine.
Three days ago, Shen Xuanqing had brought rabbits from home and mentioned that Eldest Brother and the others would be visiting soon. Lu Gu had bought plum wine in preparation, chilling it in the well to make it even more refreshing. He and Shen Xuanqing had drunk the batch bought yesterday, and now, with the guests finally arriving, he was glad he had bought two more tubes early that morning.
Ji Qiuyue led Zhao’er over from the front yard. When she saw the bamboo tubes, she smiled and asked, “Is this wine or—?”
“Plum wine, chilled to cool you down and quench your thirst after traveling in this heat.” Lu Gu replied, lifting the bucket onto the ground and handing her a tube.
Zhao’er reached for it when he saw, but they didn’t dare let the child drink something so cold.
“I want it!” Zhao’er had grown clever, no amount of coaxing could convince him it wasn’t something to drink.
“Alright, alright, I’ll pour you a little.” Ji Qiuyue, unable to resist her son’s pestering, took him to the kitchen. She pretended to pour some into a bowl, though in reality, it was only a couple of drops, not even enough to sip, barely enough to wet his lips.
The plum wine was sweet and sour, a drink favored by women and fulang, but it still had a faint alcoholic taste. Worried it might not be good for the child, she diluted it with a large bowl of water to ensure no harm would come from drinking it.
Children were easy to fool. As she coaxed Zhao’er into drinking the water, she crouched beside him and asked, “Is it sweet?”
Zhao’er, holding the bowl himself, took several gulps, he really was thirsty. Before even answering, he kept drinking, his chubby cheeks flushed red. Only after he’d had his fill did he grin at Ji Qiuyue and say in a milky voice, “Sweet.”
Ji Qiuyue took a sip from the bowl. It was mostly water, completely tasteless, so she stifled a laugh and said, “Good, it’s sweet. Now go find your dad.”
Zhao’er remembered the way and obediently toddled toward the backyard, with Guaizi following him.
Shen Yaoqing was drinking the plum wine. Parched, he downed the chilled drink in a few hearty gulps, tilting his head back as he drained the tube.
Lu Gu picked up a bundle and a large basket of vegetables from the cart and carried them toward the front yard.
When he saw Zhao'er approaching, he smiled and said, “Do you remember Xiao Ahma? Come with me to the front, there’s salty crispy pastry to eat.”
They had met just last month, so Zhao'er wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with him, though the time apart had made him a little shy. But the mention of pastries made the little feet that had been heading toward his father quickly change direction toward Lu Gu.
He led his nephew to the front yard, where Ji Qiuyue was also drinking green plum wine after passing through the hallway. She had sent Zhao'er to Shen Yaoqing earlier to avoid his pestering.
Lu Gu placed the bundle in the east wing and, seeing that the bed was already made, didn’t fuss further. He carried the heavy vegetable basket to the kitchen.
“The long beans and luffa were picked by Mother for you. The sweet berries were found by Yan Yan in the mountains, she wanted us to bring them for you,” Ji Qiuyue said after quenching her thirst, wiping her lips with a smile.
The bamboo basket also held water celery and bamboo shoots. The crisp wild cucumbers were placed on top to avoid crushing - five in total, along with the sweet berries. There were plenty of green peppers and a handful of wild mugwort tips for soup.
Every time they came from home, they brought plenty of vegetables. Homegrown produce often tasted crisper and better than what they could buy from outsiders.
"Let me try one," Lu Gu said, placing the large basket on the kitchen counter and picking up a sweet berry. Before he could take a bite, Zhao'er, who had been following him, tugged at his pant leg with his small hand and said in a tiny voice, "Pastry."
Lu Gu couldn’t help but laugh. "Wait a bit. Let Xiao Ahma eat this first, then I’ll get some for you."
Ji Qiuyue, noticing her son hadn’t greeted anyone, spoke up. "What, don’t you recognize him? This is your Xiao Ahma. Didn’t I tell you on the way? We came to see Xiao Ahma and your little brother. Did you forget again?"
“Where’s Ling ger?” Shen Yaoqing asked as he entered from the backyard. He had unhitched the mule cart and tied the mule on the far side of the stable to prevent it from fighting with the one Shen Xuanqing had bought.
Lu Gu swallowed the sweet fruit in his mouth and said, “He’s sleeping in the room, probably about to wake up. Erqing is at the shop.”
The osmanthus cakes were in the kitchen. He unwrapped the oiled paper packet, placed the crispy cakes on a plate, and carried it toward the main hall. “Sister-in-law, let’s sit under the eaves. The sun is too harsh outside.”
Zhao'er needed no prompting, the moment he saw the pastries, he followed Lu Gu like a little glutton.
After everyone sat down, Lu Gu refilled the teapot with water so Ji Qiuyue and Shen Yaoqing could rest properly. Though they had come by mule cart, the scorching heat made the journey exhausting.
As he watched Zhao'er nibble obediently on the osmanthus cake, Lu Gu took a closer look and remarked, "He’s gotten tanner."
Ji Qiuyue sighed. "How could he not? He’s always running around wild, either I’m chasing him or Mother’s watching him. He’s a little troublemaker who won’t settle down no matter how hot it is."
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