Chapter 98
Under the eaves of the backyard, Zhao Ger had built a grass shed. The firewood he usually chopped was neatly stacked beneath it.
He didn't keep too much pine needles and pinecones, which were flammable and good for starting fires, in the kitchen. Too many would create clutter, and flying sparks could easily cause a fire.
He piled the pine needles to one side, went back into the kitchen to wash his hands, and scooped up a ladle of water. His body automatically squatted down out of reflex, and he subconsciously called out: "Guaizai, come have some water."
"......"
The kitchen and the yard were silent.
Where is my son???
Zhao Ger was stunned for a moment, then his eyes suddenly darkened as he remembered.
His son... his son seemed to have been forgotten by him on the mountain.
His throat was dry, burning, and felt like it was smoking, but now he didn't even have time to drink water. He locked the door and ran straight towards the pine forest on West Mountain.
Panting heavily, Zhao Ger had just reached the foot of the mountain when he saw Guaizai diligently dragging two pine branches back.
Earlier, Zhao Ger had been carrying a basket. It was quite heavy because it was filled with too many pine needles. Guaizai walked slowly, and the downhill path was difficult. Zhao Ger could not wait for him conveniently, nor could he carry him, so he told the boy to wait on the mountain. He said he would carry the basket to the roadside and then return to carry him down.
But once he reached the foot of the mountain, he ran into Fang Zichen. After hearing him talk about the imperial exams, Zhao Ger became completely preoccupied, solely focused on rushing home to find Fang Zichen's household registration and documents. In his panic, he completely forgot about Guaizai.
Now, seeing Guaizai, his gaze couldn't help but flicker.
During the time he was waiting for Zhao Ger, Guaizai had gathered some more pinecones. Having no place to put them, he tucked his hem into his trousers and threw the pinecones he picked up inside his clothes. Only after his clothes were stuffed full, front and back, making him bulge out, did he obediently sit on a small rock to wait for Zhao Ger.
The mountain was full of mosquitoes; his face and hands were bitten several times. Zhao Ger was taking a very long time to return. Guaizai called out "Daddy" a few times, but no one answered. So, he pouted his little mouth and stumbled down the mountain by himself.
When he was just a few months old, Zhao Ger had started carrying him all over the mountains and fields to look for wild vegetables, work the land, and gather firewood. This continued until he was three years old. Now that he was a bit older and had a good memory, Guaizai knew his way everywhere.
He didn't feel scared being by himself. Halfway down the mountain, out of habit from always gathering firewood, when he saw fallen pine branches, he still thought to drag them back to use as firewood.
Seeing Zhao Ger, Guaizai smiled sweetly: "Daddy, why you take so long? Guaizai been waiting forever!"
The pine branches had many small twigs. It hadn't rained for days, and the road was dry. Dragging them on the ground now kicked up clouds of dust.
Guaizai was covered in dust, looking somewhat travel-worn and weary.
Zhao Ger felt extremely guilty.
How could he have the nerve to tell the truth?
He was even more embarrassed to say that he had just forgotten about him.
If he said it, he estimated his son's little heart would be broken.
He wiped the sweat from Guaizai's brow, cleaned his face, found an excuse, and said dismissively: "I was too thirsty, so I went home first to drink some water."
"En!" Guaizai was only three years old, his brain was probably smaller than a piglet's. He was very easy to fool. He understood that the basket, which was taller than him, would be very heavy when filled with pine needles because he had tried to lift it before. Not only could he not lift it, but the basket had tipped over and almost crushed him.
It must be so heavy, Daddy must be very tired.
Thinking this, Guaizai suddenly raised his head and said loudly and solemnly: "Daddy, tonight Guaizai will eat two bowls of rice!"
The bowls at home were big. He usually got full, burping after just half a bowl plus a bowl of bone broth. Now he actually wanted to eat two bowls. Zhao Ger couldn't help but find it funny and also a little strange:
"Why do you want to eat two bowls? It's wasteful if you can't finish them."
"Eat lots of rice, can grow tall tall." Guaizai raised his hand and gestured, saying: "I want to be as tall as Father."
Zhao Ger laughed softly and asked: "Why do you want to be as tall as Father? Isn't being as tall as Daddy good enough?"
Although Zhao Ger was a ger, and hadn't eaten well since childhood, his genes were etched into his bones. At 1.76 meters, he was taller than most ger, but he had a small frame and was thin, so overall he looked a bit shorter.
Fang Zichen was different. He was over 1.8 meters tall, with a straight posture and long legs. With his waist cinched, he had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, which could make a big visual impact.
"Men have to be tall tall," Guaizai said very seriously. "Short ones have no manly smell. Men, they have to have strength, have muscles, be brave, be cool cool!"
Zhao Ger: "......"
Zhao Ger only had to think for a moment to know that all this nonsense Guaizai was spouting had definitely been taught to him by his husband.
Fang Zichen was exceptionally tall. Zhao Ger had never been out of the village before. The tallest person he had ever seen was He Xi, who was 1.79 meters.
People in the village did not eat well, often experiencing cycles of full meals and hungry ones. Coupled with years of hard labor, they inevitably grew somewhat shorter. In contrast, people in the town, and even those in richer places like Fangzhou, Zhaozhou, and the prefectural city, ate well and dressed warmly, so they tended to be taller.
Now, selling goods every day in town, at the Fu'an Town dock, there were many passenger boats coming and going. Those people came from all over, so he had seen many different types of people. But truthfully, so far, he had never seen anyone as tall as his husband.
Guaizai's ambitions were so lofty, but he was born premature and had a weak constitution. Now at three years old, he was still as short as a two-year-old child. If he couldn't grow as tall as his husband in the future, he would be disappointed.
Zhao Ger sighed softly.
When Fang Zichen stayed with Guaizai, he always loved teaching him all sorts of messy, disorderly things. Even when telling stories, he would talk nonsense.
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