The sheer number of insects was one issue, but there were also snails on the leaves.
These pests not only ate the vegetables but also left slimy trails, as twisting and turning as a mountain path, stuck fast to the leaves. If one did not wash carefully and scrape them off, they would not come clean.
The washed mustard greens were briefly dipped in boiling water. After they had cooled, they were placed directly into the large vat.
If the family could afford it, some salt water was added—if not, they used water from rinsing rice.
The lid was then fastened and sealed tightly. After more than half a month prepared in this way, the vegetables were ready to eat.
On the third night, Zhao Ger lay in bed tossing and turning. Fang Zichen knew what he was worried about and comforted him with a few words, but Zhao Ger still couldn't sleep.
"Husband, aren't you nervous?"
Fang Zichen pinched his little round face: "Not nervous at all! Whether I'm nervous or not, the situation remains the same. A person with strong quality remains calm even if Mount Tai collapses before them. Someone like you can't manage that."
Zhao Ger said: "I just can't help it."
Fang Zichen felt an itch in his heart: "Then... let's do something else."
He had been abstinent for almost half a month.
Previously, Zhao Ger was afraid it would affect his imperial exams and wouldn't let him touch him at night. During the three days of exams, he stayed in town and couldn't even steal a kiss.
Having tasted meat, he knew its essence and wonder, how could he easily return to abstinence?
At this moment, Zhao Ger's collar was slightly open, his collarbones distinct, and the skin usually hidden under clothes appeared pale and translucent.
Zhao Ger's eyes darted about: "Do what?"
In these times, for most couples, matters in the bedroom were decided by the man. For men, no matter when, they must be in the dominant position. Major decisions must be made by them. Wives and husbands were viewed as their appendages, existing under their complete control. This concept was deeply ingrained in their bones. They were self-centered and male chauvinistic. If they wanted it, they took it. How could they be like Fang Zichen, who, even when he wanted it, still asked and sought his consent.
Fang Zichen propped himself up. His eyes, appearing particularly deep under the dim yellow light, stared fixedly at him. His voice sounded hoarse enough to be startling: "What do you think? Don't play dumb with me."
He couldn't help but pinch Zhao Ge'er's jaw, and his thumb kept stroking his lips. Then he slowly moved down, paused for a moment on Zhao Ger's sunken waist, and then slowly moved up and reached into his clothes.
Zhao Ger let out an involuntary soft moan. Fang Zichen's expression changed instantly, his eyes taking on a fierce intensity, mixed with the impatience of someone whose patience has worn thin. It was an indescribable look that made him seem like a different person. In that moment, he appeared mature, steady, and nobly unapproachable, a stark contrast to his usual casual and unrestrained demeanor.
Zhao Ger found himself captivated. Even though they had been intimate many times before, he still seemed inexperienced—shy and flustered, yet willingly allowing Fang Zichen to have his way with him.
Everything was driven by instinct.
Zhao Ger reached out, wrapped his arms around Fang Zichen's neck, and kissed him. Mimicking Fang Zichen's previous actions, he used the tip of his tongue to part Fang Zichen's lips, venturing into the warm, moist cavity of his mouth. Tongue met tongue, and they soon became entangled.
Fang Zichen felt Zhao Ger's tongue responding to him awkwardly. As Zhao Ger's sleeves slipped down, his slender, pale, and smooth arms reached up to hook around his neck, making Fang Zichen lower his head to deepen the kiss.
Surrounded by the familiar scent, Zhao Ger's eyes grew moist. With their foreheads touching, he gasped for breath, his voice faint as a wisp of smoke, and said, "Let's... go to the next room."
He had placed a small bed in the adjacent room, originally intended for Guaizai to sleep alone. However, Guaizai had been terrified by Fang Zichen's ghost stories. Previously, they could still trick him into going to the outhouse, but now, even saying "Ao Li Gei" or "Gei Li Ao" was useless.
[奥利给 (Ào lì gěi): a popular Chinese internet slang term used as an expression of encouragement, meaning "Stay strong," "You can do it," or "Give it your all".]
Every time they did this, the two of them always had to be stealthy, like thieves.
It wasn't that they couldn't do it directly on the bed since Guaizai was asleep, but last time, Zhao Ger couldn't help himself. Even while biting the back of his hand, low moans still escaped.
He had initially thought the child was a heavy sleeper who might not hear anything, and since Guaizai hadn't woken up, he hadn't been overly concerned. However, the next morning, as they went to sell chili sauce together, the child secretly confided to him while riding on the goat's back that he seemed to have heard a ghost crying in the middle of the night.
Zhao Ger didn't understand at first and found it amusing. He asked, "How did it cry?"
Guaizai had been drowsy in the middle of the night and only remembered a little after waking up in the morning.
He said, "That ghost kept saying 'no more, slower, slower,' and then it cried, 'woo woo woo.' The sound was so scary, Guaizai was afraid."
Zhao Ger: "..."
Guaizai: "Father really didn't lie to me! There really are ghosts in the world!"
"..." Upon hearing this, Zhao Ger wished he could die on the spot. Even though he knew his son was still young and hadn't seen anything, he couldn't look Guaizai in the eye all day, his face burning with embarrassment.
After that, the two always took care of their business in the next room.
This time, they carried on until midnight. Zhao Ger was utterly exhausted and no longer had the energy to worry about anything else.
However, early the next morning, before dawn and before the rooster crowed, he was already awake.
The results were posted today, so they needed to go quickly.
If they were late and the crowd grew, they might not be able to squeeze in.
Although he thought it was highly probable, entirely possible, and most likely that Fang Zichen had failed, without seeing the results with his own eyes, he couldn't bring himself to accept the outcome. It was like not believing the situation until faced with the Yellow River.
[不见黄河不死心 (bùjiàn Huáng Hé bù sǐ xīn): lit. Not until one sees the Yellow River does one's heart die; fig. Refusing to give up or believe something until faced with overwhelming, irrefutable evidence.]
Moreover, Fang Zichen had brazenly claimed that the exam was quite easy and that he had finished writing in a flash.
So... they still had to go and see!
No comments:
Post a Comment