Lingjun and Zhao'er were playing in the yard. Whenever the two children were together, they were always noisy. Before long, Zhou Xiangjun came over to help, and Shen Yaoqing also went to call relatives and friends from the village—most had come to see Shen Xuanqing, and with many people around, it was lively.
Tables were being moved to the front yard for the meal. After Lu Gu finished washing the clothes, he carried them to the backyard to dry. The food was also ready.
There was wine and meat, and quite a few people had come. Wei Lanxiang had prepared plenty of dishes and even borrowed tables and chairs from the neighbors. Altogether, four tables were filled, and everyone happily enjoyed the meal.
After staying at home for three days, life gradually returned to its former peace.
The butcher shop had been closed for several days, and it was time to reopen. The Yang family's mule cart also needed to be returned. Early that morning, the family loaded rabbits, chickens, and ducks onto the flat cart.
Shen Xuanqing drove the cart carrying Lu Gu and their child toward town. Luo Biao took charge of the cart loaded with rabbits, planning to return by afternoon to help bring the chestnut horse back to town.
Shen Yaoqing had been busy these past few months, managing both the household and the town shop. Shen Xuanqing, mindful of his elder brother's hard work, told him to rest at home for a few days.
Now that he was back, Shen Yan didn’t need to go along anymore. It was also good for her to spend more time with her mother before her marriage.
The old home’s courtyard was spacious, and Lingjun had grown a bit wild playing there. When it was time to leave, he was reluctant and sat in Lu Gu’s arms, saying he wanted to come back.
Lu Gu held his little shuang'er, his eyes curving into a smile, and promised, "We’ll come back. The weather will be warmer soon, and if you want to return, we’ll have your Dad drive us back to stay with Grandma and Brother for a few days."
"Mm." Lingjun nodded his little head, still clutching the small flower bun Wei Lanxiang had given him. He said in a soft voice, "Amu, I can eat it in one bite."
Lu Gu couldn’t help but respond, smiling, "Oh? Let me see, is our Ling ger a little tiger with a big mouth?"
Lingjun was very pleased with himself and stuffed the tiny bun into his mouth all at once, his cheeks puffing out. He even clapped his hands to show they were empty—everything was in his mouth now.
The cart rocked gently. The sun was strong today, so Lu Gu lifted the curtain inside to let the wind in. It wasn’t cold, and he could chat with Shen Xuanqing.
Before they had even left the village, he spotted Chen Dongdong and his mother-in-law coming out of their house with a bamboo basket.
"Guzi, heading to town?" Chen Dongdong smiled shyly as always, wearing a new outfit without patches.
"Yes, going to town. Are you and Auntie going out?" Lu Gu greeted him warmly.
Chen Dongdong replied, "Going to buy some tofu."
Seeing the mule cart slow down, he knew the Shen family was taking rabbits to town and didn’t want to delay them. He quickly said, "Go on, it’s a long journey. Next time you’re back, I’ll come see you."
"Alright." Lu Gu agreed, and Shen Xuanqing gave Chen Dongdong a slight nod before urging the mule forward.
The people by the roadside gradually fell behind. Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Gu saw Chen Dongdong chatting with his mother-in-law, the smile never leaving his face.
Last time he returned, he had heard from Wei Lanxiang that Chen Dongdong was pregnant. He Zhi was overjoyed and even bought cloth for new clothes. After several years of marriage, there was finally good news, and even Wei Lanxiang had muttered "Amitabha"—now there would be no more gossip behind their backs.
As for cutting grass in the coming days, He Zhi had already spoken to Shen Yaoqing. He said his parents had been eating better these past two years and had regained some strength. Though they couldn’t handle heavy labor, cutting grass was manageable. The elderly couple had no other work at home, and gathering two cartloads of grass a day wouldn’t be a problem—they’d just be a bit slower.
As for He Zhi himself, he carried firewood and heavy loads, doing odd jobs. Though the work was hard, the pay was good. He was a young man—if he didn’t endure hardship, who would? Now that he had a child on the way, his motivation was even stronger.
Shen Yaoqing thought that if they could gather two cartloads of grass a day, just like before, and since they had also hired Ge Chunsheng as a long-term laborer—who would also go out to cut grass, there would be enough fodder for the animals. So, he didn’t look for anyone else and continued to let the He family handle it.
"This time when we get back, let’s prepare a good meal and invite the Gu family over. The wedding invitations and replies haven’t been settled yet—we'll leave that to Elder Brother and Mother to arrange. Though we live nearer to the Gu family in town, these matters should properly be discussed and decided between them and Brother."
Shen Xuanqing, sitting at the front, spoke. The only major event left in the family was Shen Yan’s marriage. Having been away for half a year, he was naturally concerned.
Since Shen Yaoqing was the eldest son and their father was no longer around, even Wei Lanxiang deferred to him. The Gu family would naturally discuss matters with Shen Yaoqing.
"Didn’t Elder Brother say before that he wanted to delay it and set the wedding for next year?" Lu Gu remarked casually. Remembering how Shen Yan and Gu Chengyue interacted in town, he added with a smile, "While you were gone, Yan Yan lived with me. That Gu Chengyue was constantly visiting, always bringing little gifts. It's clear he's completely smitten with her."
Shen Xuanqing chuckled. "Our family’s daughter is certainly someone to be cherished. If he weren’t fond of her, Brother and I wouldn’t be willing to let Yan Yan marry him."
The two chatted idly as they traveled. Once they reached the main road, the wind grew stronger, so Lu Gu lowered the curtain. Lingjun, accustomed to the mule cart, played and laughed with Guaizi.
The cart wheels rolled steadily onward. Outside, the sharp snap of Shen Xuanqing's whip cut through the air. Though no words passed between them, the simple knowledge that he was there—just on the other side of the curtain—settled Lu Gu's heart with quiet assurance.
Everything was getting better. Not just for them.
No comments:
Post a Comment