Chapter 130
Zhang Huaiwen was taken aback. Before he could even respond, Zhao Ger finished speaking, turned on his heel, and walked away.
"Young Master... are you... alright?" Only after Zhao Ger had walked far away did the servant boy dare to cross the street and approach.
Zhang Huaiwen closed his eyes, calming himself for a moment, then said, "Come here." He leaned down and whispered two sentences into the servant's ear. The servant was momentarily stunned, then nodded: "Young Master, I understand."
____
After returning home and eating, Zhao Ger had no mind for anything else. He took Guaizai's hand and went to wait at the village entrance.
Guaizai was on his best behavior. Zhao Ger found a stone and told him to sit. Guaizai shook his head, saying he wasn't tired, and insisted Zhao Ger sit instead.
Villagers passing by knew Fang Zichen was returning today. When they saw them, they teased with a smile.
"Oh! Waiting already? Yuanzhou is far from our village! Young Fang probably won't be home until evening. You young couples, just can't bear to be apart."
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and tonight will probably be like dry wood meeting a fierce fire. Zhao Ger, you should hurry back and rest, otherwise you might not be able to keep up tonight. Listen to your auntie, I have experience."
"That's right, Zhao Ger, you better believe it," someone else chimed in. "When her man went to help her family plant rice seedlings, he was gone for three days. When he came back once, the next day I saw her going to Lao Wang's place, saying the bed at home was broken and she needed to order a new one."
"It wasn't three days, it was two days! And he was that fierce after just two days. Young Fang has been gone for five or six days, it's probably going to be even more intense!"
Zhao Ger: "..."
Someone, seeing Zhao Ger's flushed face, tried to cover for him: "What do you know? Zhao Ger is probably afraid Young Fang has been away so long he might forget the way, so he's waiting here specifically to guide him."
Zhao Ger: "..."
Zhao Ger endured it. After being teased by two more groups, he pointed at Guaizai, who was gazing intently into the distance, and said, "The child misses his father. He cried and made a scene, insisting I bring him. I had no choice but to give in to his fussing."
Guaizai immediately turned his head back, his little eyebrows furrowed seriously, and declared righteously: "Daddy, why are you telling lies? Father says, lying to people is wrong! Guaizai didn't cry, and Guaizai didn't make a scene. Guaizai is a good boy, impossible to cry! You lied to people. When Father comes back, I will tell him and he will spank your bottom!"
Zhao Ger: "..."
The nearby villagers burst into roaring laughter. Even Zhou Ger couldn't hold back. After the crowd left, he patted Guaizai's head, laughing, "You really are your daddy's good son."
Guaizai smiled bashfully. Zhao Ger was so embarrassed he felt his face was dripping blood, so awkward he wished he could dig a hole and burrow into it.
It wasn't until everyone had finished their teasing that he finally relaxed a bit.
Thinking about it, he really was a bit too anxious. But he couldn't sit still at home, it was better to just wait at the village entrance.
The wind was strong. To the east of the village entrance flowed a small river. Guaizai had been waiting for a long time, and Fang Zichen was still nowhere to be seen. He couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "Daddy, how much longer until Father comes back?"
Zhao Ger was also waiting anxiously. He wasn't sure, but since it was already getting late, Fang Zichen should probably be back soon. He said, "He should... be almost here."
Guaizai's eyes lit up. He scurried over to the small river, squatted by the bank, and peered intently at his reflection. A few strands of hair were sticking up rebelliously in the wind. He tried to pat them down with his little hand, but they stubbornly sprang back up. His face fell into a frustrated pout as he thought for a moment. Then, an idea seemed to strike him. He reached into the river, wet his hand, and carefully used the dampness to slick the unruly hairs into place.
Zhao Ger watched and sighed inwardly, thinking the child was really becoming quite vain, exactly like Fang Zichen. When Fang Zichen got up in the morning, if his hair was sticking up badly, he would do the same thing. Guaizai had simply copied him.
Zhao Ger's gaze shifted, landing on Guaizai's clothes, then he looked down at his own. A light blue new outfit, made of very good material, one he usually couldn't bear to wear often.
He realized, a bit belatedly, that he... probably wasn't in any position to criticize his son.
"Father...!" Guaizai suddenly yelled loudly.
Zhao Ger saw the little boy's face flush red with excitement. He jumped up and down on the spot a few times, then shot off like a little firecracker towards the village entrance.
Zhao Ger's heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably, thump thump thump, feeling like his eardrums were vibrating.
"Father...!"
"Son, my little treasure, ah..." Fang Zichen had been exhausted, almost out of breath, but the moment he heard Guaizai's voice, it was as if he had experienced a sudden surge of energy before death. His whole body filled with strength, and he quickly ran over.
Zhao Ger's body trembled. He spun around to see Fang Zichen, who was carrying a bundle on his back so large it looked like he had brought his entire warehouse with him into the city. He crouched down and caught Guaizai, sweeping him up into his arms.
"Son..."
"Father..."
"Son..."
"Father..."
Zhao Ger felt a wave of utter exasperation.
Those who knew understood Fang Zichen had only been away for a few days, those who didn't would think this father and son hadn't seen each other in eight hundred years.
Guaizai hugged Fang Zichen's neck tightly, pressing his little cheek against him, then nuzzling.
"Father, Guaizai missed you so much, missed you so much~"
Fang Zichen kissed him, adoring him to death: "How much did you miss me?"
Guaizai let go, spreading his arms wide in the air: "This much! Missed you, Guaizai couldn't even sleep!"
"My little treasure missed me," Fang Zichen looked over at Zhao Ger, a smile spreading across his face, and he raised an eyebrow, saying, "Then did my big treasure miss me?"
Zhao Ger pressed his lips together and walked over. The moment he got close, Fang Zichen wrapped an arm around him, pulling him into an embrace, and kissed his hair: "I missed you to death."
Zhao Ger could no longer care about anything else. His eyes glistened with unshed tears, and his longing peaked at this moment.
"Husband..."
Many people knew Fang Zichen was returning today. It seemed like they had all agreed to linger near the village entrance in small groups, thinking to wait and ask if the journey was safe, what Yuanzhou was like. But now, seeing the young couple embracing, they tactfully left.
Fang Zichen held his son in his left arm and his fulang in his right, kissing one, then the other, utterly content.
If only the family also had eight or nine hundred thousand taels of silver, life would be at its peak.
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