Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 110

Chapter 110

 

Wei Wu and Ma Qian immediately returned to inform Huang Yazi about this matter.

 

Huang Yazi also found it suspicious, so he instructed the two to continue monitoring the man while he personally went to Lu’s restaurant to discuss it with Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan.

 

“You’re saying that this man’s family was extremely poor before, but after a trip to Quanfu Restaurant, he suddenly became wealthy?”

 

“Yes, this man happens to be a neighbor of one of my younger brothers. He’s lived in Ma Alley for over ten years, so there’s no mistake.”

 

Lu Yao frowned slightly. “Thank you, Brother Huang, for taking the trouble.”

 

“It’s no trouble at all.”

 

“I’ll have to trouble you further, Brother Huang, to keep an eye on him. If there’s any other movement, let me know.”

 

“Of course, absolutely.”

 

Ma Dequan staggered home with a load of items, limping as he went. “Kuan’er, Xiufen, come out quickly and see what I’ve bought!”

 

From a small, shabby house emerged two people—a woman walking with difficulty, her belly round and heavy, followed by a pale, sickly-looking boy of sixteen or seventeen.

 

The woman took the coarse cloth he handed her, her face puzzled. “Where did you get the money to buy so much?”

 

“Heh, it’s not just these things.” As he spoke, he pulled out a silver ingot worth ten taels from his pocket and handed it to her.

 

“Husband, please don’t do anything foolish… Kuan’er’s health is poor, the second child hasn’t been born yet, and the family relies entirely on you.”

 

“Don’t worry. I earned this money helping an important person. Take it and spend it without worry. This time, we’ll definitely be able to cure Kuan’er’s illness!”

 

“You even bought medicine. I’ll start preparing it soon!”

 

Standing behind them, Ma Kuan also smiled. If he could recover, he’d be able to work like a normal person and help the family.

 

Ma Dequan had also bought two pounds of meat. In high spirits, he told his wife to cook it all so the family could have a good meal. Deprived of rich food for so long, the aroma of the cooking meat made them all salivate.

 

Plain boiled meat—once it was cooked, it was seasoned with a spoonful of salt. This was how ordinary families ate meat.

 

“This is delicious! The meat smells amazing!” Ma Dequan ate while picking out the fatty pieces to give to his wife and son. To the poor, fatty meat was considered the best part—a single bite would fill the mouth with fragrant, rich oil.

 

Tian Xiufen took a few bites but suddenly couldn’t help vomiting, quickly catching it in a bowl to avoid wasting the meat.

 

Ma Dequan patted her back. “How come you’re still nauseous at this late stage?”

 

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’m older now. I didn’t feel this bad when I was pregnant with our first.”

 

Ma Dequan gently patted her belly. “You naughty little one, causing trouble for your mother. Just wait until your father smacks your bottom.”

 

Tian Xiufen laughed and pushed her husband away. The family was full of warmth, unaware of the darkness looming ahead.

 

After the meal, the couple sat in the yard preparing medicine for their son. The older boy, unable to withstand the cold due to his frailty, had already gone to bed.

 

Fanning the fire to keep it burning, Tian Xiufen asked, “By the way, why did that important person suddenly give you so much money?”

 

Lowering his voice, Ma Dequan replied, “The manager of Quanfu Restaurant asked me to do something.”

 

“What is it?”

 

Ma Dequan took out a paper packet. “This stuff is called ‘fake death medicine.’ After consuming it, you’ll foam at the mouth and stop breathing for a while. But after three hours, you’ll wake up as if nothing happened.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Of course! I saw him give some to a small dog. The dog foamed at the mouth, stopped breathing, and then, less than an hour later, it recovered.”

 

Tian Xiufen was astonished. “How incredible! But why did he give you this fake death medicine?”

 

Coughing lightly, Ma Dequan explained, “Manager Feng wants me to go to the newly opened Lu Family Restaurant in town, have a meal, and secretly add this medicine to my drink to fake a poisoning death, ruining their reputation!”

 

“Oh no! We can’t do such a thing. If you’re caught, they’ll beat you to death!”

 

“Don’t worry. Everything is already arranged. I’ll fake death for a few hours, and they’ll switch my body with another. No one will suspect anything.”

 

Tian Xiufen remained uneasy. “Why not just return the cloth and silver? Let’s not do such a wicked thing.”

 

Ma Dequan held her hand. “We’ve already used the cloth and eaten the meat. How can we return them? Besides, this is a golden opportunity. Manager Feng said that if I succeed, I’ll get another fifty taels. With that, we can renovate the house, marry off our eldest son, and save some money for the little one in your belly.”

 

“But it’s too risky…”

 

“No risk, no reward. Trust me, I know what I’m doing. Tomorrow, you can use the cloth to make me some clothes. I’ll find a chance to visit the Lu Family Restaurant.”

 

“Alright…”

 

The next day, Tian Xiufen made a new outfit for her husband. Though it was made of coarse cloth, it was tightly stitched and well-fitted, looking quite good.

 

Ma Dequan hadn’t worn new clothes in years. Since his son’s illness, the family had struggled to make ends meet. Now, with a glimmer of hope, he couldn’t help feeling both shy and happy as he smoothed the hem of his clothes. “Do I look good?”

 

“You look great.” Tian Xiufen adjusted his belt. “But the inside pocket isn’t finished. Let me sew it for you.”

 

“It’s fine. You can do it when I get back. Use the leftover fabric to make clothes for yourself and Kuan’er. It’s cold; don’t let yourselves freeze.”

 

“Got it. Come back early.”

 

“Alright.” Ma Dequan limped out of the house, only to run into two small-time thugs at the door.

 

“Uncle Ma, where are you heading?”

 

Seeing familiar faces, Ma Dequan wasn’t wary and casually replied, “Going out for a meal.”

 

“Uncle Ma’s struck it rich, even wearing new clothes.”

 

“What? You’re allowed to wear new clothes, but I’m not?”

 

“Hey, no need to get upset. I was just asking.”

 

Feeling guilty, Ma Dequan quickened his pace, ignoring the two as he headed out of the alley.

 

Behind him, Ma Qian and Wei Wu exchanged a look and hurriedly took a shortcut to the Lu Family Restaurant.

 

Meanwhile, Lu Yao was organizing the day’s ingredients when he received news that the man was heading toward his shop.

 

He immediately put down his work and instructed his staff to send messages to cancel all reservations for the day, explaining that the restaurant was closed due to unforeseen circumstances. Any bookings would be rescheduled for the next day, with the meal costs waived.

 

While the staff delivered the messages, Lu Yao asked Zhao Beichuan to gather everyone from the winery. The group sat around five tables, pretending to be customers.

 

By noon, a few more guests had arrived, but Lu Yao found ways to turn them away. Unsure of what tricks the man might have up his sleeve, he decided it was best to be prepared.

 

Finally, Ma Dequan arrived. Standing nervously at the entrance, he hesitated to step into such a fine establishment.

 

A waiter approached him. “Are you here to dine, sir?”

 

Only then did he respond, belatedly nodding. “Y-Yes, I’m here to eat.”

 

“Just yourself, sir?”

 

“J-just me.”

 

“This way, please.” Lu Miao guided him to a seat and winked at his third brother, Lu Yao, who quietly gave him a thumbs-up.

 

“What would you like to eat, sir?”

 

Ma Dequan had no idea what to order. However, the benefactor had told him that he didn’t need to pay for anything today. Once he drank the fake death potion, everyone would panic. When someone called the authorities, he would be taken to the morgue, where someone was already arranged to pick him up.

 

Ma Dequan took a deep breath. “Bring me a serving of all your signature dishes.”

 

“Just for yourself? That might be too much to finish.”

 

“Can’t I just sample them all?”

 

“Of course, sir. Please wait a moment.” Lu Miao retreated to the kitchen and passed the message to his brother-in-law.

 

Zhao Beichuan removed his apron and had Xiao Chun prepare the dishes while he quietly hid behind a screen to observe the dining hall.

 

The workers from the brewery acted convincingly, pretending to be ordinary customers. They kept ordering wine and additional dishes, not arousing Ma Dequan’s suspicion.

 

After waiting for half an hour, six dishes were served in succession. Looking at the delicious food, Ma Dequan couldn’t help but drool. He grabbed his chopsticks and began eating voraciously. Midway, he remembered the benefactor’s instructions and asked the attendant for a jug of Lu Wine.

 

Lu Yao personally brought over the jug of wine. “This is the house wine of our restaurant. It’s stronger than other wines, so take your time drinking it.”

 

Ma Dequan glanced at Lu Yao, feeling a slight pang of guilt. However, he quickly dismissed it, overwhelmed by the thought of fifty taels of silver. If he completed this task, he could cure Kuan’er’s illness, and his family’s life would improve!

 

When no one was looking, he discreetly pulled out a small packet from his pocket and poured the “fake death potion” into the wine jug. Then, he continued eating and drinking.

 

The food was delicious, and the wine was exquisite. Eating such a meal made his life feel worthwhile!

 

After a while, a sharp pain struck his stomach. He endured the agony and drank another cup of wine. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

 

“Help! Someone, help! This Lu Wine is poisoned! Save me! Call the authorities…” Ma Dequan shouted, falling off his chair. He looked at the surrounding tables, but the other customers stood up without anyone calling for help.

 

“Help… save me… call the authorities…”

 

He clutched his stomach, writhing in pain on the floor, feeling as though his organs were being sliced apart. Fear spread through him. Was this really fake death potion? Could the benefactor have lied to him?

 

Lu Yao approached him, noticing his abnormal condition. He immediately instructed the staff to close the main doors and sent someone to fetch the nearest physician.

 

Zhao Beichuan walked over to the table and picked up the wine jug, sniffing it. “He poured something into this wine earlier.”

 

Lu Yao recalled that many ancient poisons, such as arsenic, contained impurities that reacted with silver. He quickly retrieved a piece of silver from the cash box and dropped it into the wine jug. Before long, the entire piece of silver turned black.

 

“It’s poison! Quickly, bring some ash water and make him drink it!”

 

Unfortunately, Ma Dequan had consumed too much. There was no time to save him, and the ash water induced only a small amount of vomiting.

 

The physician from the medical hall arrived soon after. After checking his pulse, he shook his head and said, “He’s gone. Prepare for the funeral.”

 

Lu Yao staggered backward, clutching his chest in anger. “What a malicious scheme!”

 

Luckily, he had prepared in advance. Otherwise, if this man had died in the restaurant, their reputation would have been utterly ruined. No one would dare eat at a place where someone had been poisoned.

 

Zhao Beichuan looked at the corpse on the floor. “What now?”

 

“We report it to the authorities. The mastermind behind this must be caught. Even if we can’t destroy Quanfu Restaurant, we’ll make Feng Deyou pay!”

 

The local authorities quickly arrived and took the body away. Thanks to the connection with the Prince of Zhenbei, they didn’t trouble Lu Yao and only asked a few questions before leaving.

 

Lu Yao hurriedly led a group to Ma Dequan’s home.

 

At this time, Tian Xiufen was still unaware that her husband was dead. She was waiting for his return.

 

Their son’s complexion had improved after taking the medicine the previous day. If her husband brought back more silver to buy additional doses, his condition might truly improve.

 

“Kuan’er, do you prefer the brown fabric or the stone-blue one? I’ll make you a new outfit.”

 

“Either one is fine. As long as it’s made by you, I’ll like it.”

 

Tian Xiufen smiled and patted her son’s head. “Then I’ll use the stone-blue one. It suits young people like you.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Suddenly, a commotion of footsteps echoed outside. The two stood up nervously, only to see seven or eight unfamiliar men crowding their courtyard.

 

“Wh-what’s going on…”

 

Lu Yao stepped forward. “You’re Ma Dequan’s family, right?”

 

Tian Xiufen nodded, trembling as she held her son’s hand. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

 

“Your husband is dead.”

 

“What?!” Tian Xiufen screamed in horror, her eyes rolling back as she fainted.

 

Ma Kuan hurriedly caught his mother, but his weak body couldn’t support her, and they both fell to the ground.

 

Lu Yao ordered Lu Shiliu and the others to help. They moved the mother and son indoors and gave her a bowl of water. She gradually regained consciousness. First, she sobbed quietly, then louder, until finally, her cries turned into wailing. The despair in her voice was heart-wrenching.

 

Ma Kuan, though equally devastated, suppressed his sorrow and asked, “How did my father die?”

 

“Poison. He poured arsenic into the wine and drank it himself.”

 

“No, that’s impossible! Why would my father do such a thing?!”

 

Lu Yao looked at Tian Xiufen and said, “I’m curious too. There’s no grievance between your family and mine, so why would your husband bring poison to my tavern to commit suicide?”

 

Tian Xiufen’s body trembled. She realized the person before her was the owner of the Lu Family Tavern. She collapsed onto the bed, wailing, “Dequan was deceived… He was tricked! He said the nobleman gave him a fake death medicine, claiming he’d wake up in three hours. How could it have been arsenic instead?”

 

Ma Kuan widened his eyes and clutched her sleeve. “Mother! What is going on?”

 

Tian Xiufen recounted everything her husband had told her yesterday, confirming Lu Yao’s suspicion that the “nobleman” was indeed Feng Deyou, the owner of the Quanfu Tavern.

 

“Do you want to avenge your husband?”

 

Tian Xiufen suddenly raised her head, then slowly shook it. “We’re commoners without power or influence. How could we ever fight those people? We can only accept our misfortune…” She began to sob again.

 

Lu Yao frowned. He hadn’t expected her to lack the courage even to file a report.

 

“Mother! Are we just going to let Father’s death go unanswered?” Ma Kuan suppressed his grief, stood up, and suddenly knelt before Lu Yao and his companions.

 

“My father made a mistake. I dare not ask for your forgiveness. But now that he’s gone, let me, his son, take responsibility. I know you want to catch the person who manipulated him. If I can be of any use, I am willing to do everything I can!”

 

Lu Yao’s eyes lit up. This boy had courage and spoke clearly and logically, though it was a pity he was born into such a family.

 

“Your father took the ‘fake death medicine’ given by Quanfu Tavern’s manager and was poisoned to death at home. Go to the authorities and demand justice for your father.”

 

“I understand!” Ma Kuan slowly stood up and walked out. Though he had just turned sixteen and looked frail from long illness, his expression was more determined than an adult’s.

 

After he left, Lu Yao and his group also returned to the tavern. Next, he planned to use his connections to help gather evidence against Feng Deyou. Lu Yao was willing to spend money while the authorities exerted their efforts, and soon the truth was brought to light.

 

Three days later, Quanfu Tavern was sealed, and Feng Deyou was imprisoned for poisoning Ma Dequan to death. Thinking his plan was foolproof, he hadn’t expected to be caught in a trap.

 

Throughout the ordeal, Lu Yao never showed his face. Apart from his staff, no one knew about Ma Dequan’s death at the tavern. To the public, it only appeared that the Lu Family Tavern had taken a day off and reopened the next day as usual.

 

—

 

With the matter resolved, Lu Yao finally relaxed. Coincidentally, it was a rest day, and Douzi had returned. He decided to take his family back to Changshui Alley to gather.

 

It had been a while since everyone had been together. Hu Chunrong roasted a batch of sunflower seeds, and the family sat on the kang, chatting about their businesses while snacking.

 

Lu Yao didn’t mention the troubling events of late, instead sharing amusing stories with the old lady.

 

“The old man who delivers fish to me caught seven or eight soft-shelled turtles the other day and asked if I wanted them. These are supposed to be highly nutritious, so I kept them. But when we stewed them, the guests wouldn’t touch them, leaving me and Dazhou to finish them all. It gave us such nosebleeds from the heat!”

 

“Oh my goodness, haha!” Everyone burst into laughter.

 

“Second Brother, how’s business on your side?”

 

Lu Lin replied, “Business has been pretty good these past few months. Last month, we earned 260 taels. Our family kept 100 taels, used 60 to buy new kitchenware, winter firewood, and replace window paper, and saved the remaining 54 taels for next year’s rent.”

 

Lu Yao nodded. “That’s great management. When spring comes, I’ll teach you how to make cold noodles. Business will definitely be even better.”

 

Lu Yun beamed with excitement. He had already saved nearly 200 taels, the most he had ever earned in his life. Thinking back to his earlier struggles with his sisters-in-law, he felt increasingly grateful to have such a capable brother.

 

He planned to save more money, buy a house in the city, settle down, and bring their parents over for retirement. As for his brothers-in-law and their families, they’d have to fend for themselves!

 

Old Lady Lu said, “Aside from the tavern, there’s another piece of good news—your second sister-in-law is expecting again.”

 

Hu Chunrong blushed shyly. “It’s just three months in. I wanted to share the joy.”

 

This was a huge cause for celebration. The Lu family had few descendants, and among Lu Lin’s generation, he was the only remaining son. In the next generation, there was only Little Shitou. Most families had at least two or three children by their age.

 

Hu Chunrong had conceived last year, but overwork at the early eatery caused her to miscarry. This time, she was extra careful. Thankfully, she wasn’t doing heavy labor at the tavern, so she hadn’t mentioned it until now.

 

Madam Lu reminded her, “Take care of yourself. By next autumn, I’ll have another grandchild to hold.”

 

“Of course.”

 

The family then brought up Lu Miao’s marriage. With the twelfth month approaching, the new year would pass quickly, and in three months, Ge Changbao would return. It was time to start preparing for the wedding.

 

Madam Lu had no experience handling weddings in the city and didn’t dare take charge. Everyone decided to let Lu Yao oversee Lu Miao’s marriage.

 

Lu Yao had no experience with such matters either, but he could ask for advice. Since Ge Changbao had no elders, the Lu family had to ensure the wedding was properly arranged.

 

Lu Miao blushed, playing with his nephews and nieces as if the topic had nothing to do with him.

 

Lu Yao teased, “If you’re not in a hurry, we can push the wedding to next autumn.”

 

“No way!” Lu Miao quickly objected. “Third Brother, just arrange it. Once Changbao returns, we’ll get married. He’s already given me the money, so we can use his for the expenses…”

 

The siblings burst into laughter. Their youngest brother was truly eager to marry.