Chapter 67
The window in the room was still open, the lush shadows of peach leaves falling on the windowsill, bright and dappled.
Ji Taoyu suddenly ran to the window: "Ah, the peaches are already so big!"
When he left, the peach trees outside the window were still bare. He faintly remembered the scene of Huo Shu stepping on the peach branches to climb over the wall—a gray, drizzly autumn night. Yet in the blink of an eye, the trees had grown thick with leaves, blossomed, and borne fruit.
He took a deep breath of the midday summer air, filled with the warm, sun-baked scent of softened grass and foliage.
Inside the room, everything was clean and tidy, no different from when they had left. There was no musty smell of long abandonment—his mother must have regularly opened the windows to air it out.
It had been a long time since Ji Taoyu felt so settled and at ease. He wandered around the room before finally flopping onto the bed with a thud.
The bedding was exceptionally soft and dry. He buried his face in it and took a deep breath: "Mother must have sunned the quilts too."
Huo Shu carried their bundles into the room.
Seeing the person sprawled on the bed, he remarked, "You were more energetic when you weren’t near that bed. The moment you see it, all your bones turn to jelly."
Ji Taoyu tilted his head to look at Huo Shu: "Can’t I lie down for a bit? There’s still a pile of things to do later."
The clothes and bedding used during the journey needed to be unpacked, washed thoroughly, and dried in the good weather to prevent mold and bugs.
Then there were the accounts to settle—calculating everyone’s wages. After such a trip, people were eager for their pay, and debts needed to be repaid.
The horses also required effort to sell. Keeping them long-term would be too much to handle.
At this time of year, horse fodder wasn’t hard to find, but with so many horses, there was no place to stable them, and managing them would be troublesome.
Besides, it was already the sixth month. Next month, they’d have to prepare for the autumn harvest. Just thinking about all these tasks made his head ache.
"Selling the horses won’t take long. As for the harvest, we won’t need to hire extra hands this year, Uncle Fan and the others can handle it."
Hearing Huo Shu’s words, Ji Taoyu blinked: "That’s true."
"Then I’m going to nap. After my midday rest, I’ll help Mother with dinner. Huo Shou and Uncle Fan came all the way from the north, we should treat them to a proper meal."
Huo Shu didn’t object. It was customary to serve good food and wine when welcoming or sending off guests.
He was about to say he’d buy anything they needed, but when he turned back, Ji Taoyu’s breathing had already steadied in sleep.
Huo Shu’s brow twitched slightly. On the road, Ji Taoyu had tossed and turned, unable to sleep soundly unless curled up against him.
But back home, it was different. Lying freely in bed, he had fallen asleep in just a quarter of an hour.
He stepped forward, adjusted Ji Taoyu’s position against the pillow, then swapped the thick quilt for a thin summer blanket, draping it over his stomach.
After settling him, Huo Shu stood by the bed for a moment, his gaze softening, before quietly leaving the room.
"Huo-lang, it’s almost time to eat. Where’s Xiao Taozi?"
Huang Manjing had come to call them for lunch and saw Huo Shu closing the door. "Asleep?"
Huo Shu nodded. Truly, no one knew a child like their mother.
"He was tired from the journey. Leave some food for him to eat when he wakes up."
"That’s fine."
Huang Manjing said, "I’ll set the table in the main hall. Go call your fellow villagers."
"Mm."
Lunch was simple, a large pot of porridge with tender string beans and a few side dishes of pickled vegetables.
With so many extra mouths to feed, Huang Manjing worried there wouldn’t be enough rice, so she quickly kneaded dough and steamed some buns.
In the dry heat of summer, light and refreshing food was most comforting.
After lunch, under the scorching sun, the entire village took their midday rest.
Ji Yangzong cheerfully stepped out. Huo Shu told Uncle Fan and the others to tidy up their rooms and rest properly.
He returned to the room and found Ji Taoyu still fast asleep on his side.
A breeze had picked up outside, bringing a brief coolness.
Huo Shu took out the account books, intending to tally the expenses, but when he glanced at the sleeping figure on the bed, he set the thought aside.
Instead, he removed his outer garment and lay down beside Ji Taoyu.
This room, this bed—he had only lived here for a few months.
Yet lying down, he felt a familiar comfort, as if reuniting with an old friend. He lifted his hand, enclosing Ji Taoyu’s slightly cool fingers in his palm, and felt even more at ease.
He hadn’t planned to nap, his mind occupied with how to properly settle Uncle Fan and the others.
But before he could reach a conclusion, he somehow drifted off as well.
He woke up again to the sound of Ji Taoyu’s stomach growling loudly. Both of them opened their eyes—it was already nearing the end of the Weishi (around 3 PM).
Ji Taoyu, still bleary-eyed, rubbed his flat stomach. Turning his head, he saw Huo Shu beside him and nuzzled sleepily against his neck.
"Get up and eat something."
Ji Taoyu’s voice was soft with sleep: "I still feel so tired. I could sleep more."
Huo Shu said, "The longer you nap in summer, the drowsier you get. Too much sleep will just give you a headache."
Ji Taoyu felt limp, as if his limbs had lost all strength. He pushed himself up, though his eyes remained closed.
"Fair point. I shouldn’t sleep anymore. I promised to help with dinner."
Huo Shu chuckled softly at the sight and wrapped an arm around Ji Taoyu’s waist to pull him up.
After another half-hour of dawdling in the room, the two finally stepped outside.
The heat was still intense. Ji Yangzong hadn’t napped either and had already returned from his outing.
Smoke was already rising from the kitchen chimney.
When Ji Taoyu entered, he found the kitchen stocked with plenty of ingredients. His mother had already started cooking.
Yuan Huiru had also been invited over by his mother, and the two women were chatting in the kitchen.
Ji Taoyu and Huo Shu greeted them. They hadn’t yet had the chance to visit the Zhao family, so this was a good opportunity to gather.
Thank you for the update!!!!
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