Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 120

Chapter 120

 

Ge Changbao shouted with his spear in hand, “Form up!”

 

The ten soldiers driving the carts behind them immediately grabbed their weapons and charged forward!

 

White Hair froze in place, instinctively feeling a bit panicked. However, relying on the fact that his men outnumbered the soldiers, he figured a direct confrontation wasn’t entirely out of the question.

 

“Brothers, grab your weapons!”

 

More than twenty bandits behind him brandished sickles, iron shovels, kitchen knives, and wooden clubs as they charged forward.

 

Ge Changbao clenched his molars, raised his silver spear, and commanded, “Kill them!”

 

These bandits were no match for the soldiers. Within moments, they were beaten to the point of crying for their parents. Some were even decapitated or dismembered on the spot, terrifying the rest into dropping their weapons and fleeing in panic.

 

The soldiers were all battle-hardened veterans who had killed more people than they’d eaten pigs. Facing these bandits was like dealing with chickens—there was no need to even exert themselves. In a short while, they had dealt with most of the attackers.

 

General Ge was especially ferocious, wielding his spear as he charged in and out of the fray three times, finally skewering the fleeing bandit leader straight through the heart.

 

With White Hair dead, the others completely lost their will to resist. One by one, they knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy.

 

Ge Changbao put away his spear and first went to check on his husband and child in the carriage.

 

Lu Miao was terrified, clutching their son tightly as he asked anxiously, “How is it? Did the bandits run away?”

 

“I killed the leader. The rest will be taken to the local government office.”

 

“You weren’t hurt, were you?”

 

“No, these small fries can’t hurt me.” Ge Changbao pinched his son’s chubby cheek. “Egg, were you scared?”

 

Ge Egg shook his dark, shiny eyes and said, “Papa, I want a stick.” By “stick,” he meant the silver spear Ge Changbao had just used.

 

“Haha, not this one. It’s too dirty right now. When we get home, I’ll make a small one for you to play with.”

 

“Okay!”

 

Ge Changbao got off the carriage. “Liu Cong, Liu He, tie these people up and escort them to the nearest county office. If anyone tries to escape or resists, cut them down immediately.”

 

“Understood!”

 

Of the 26 bandits, 7 were killed. The remaining 19 were searched, tied with thick hemp ropes by the neck and hands, and strung together as they were escorted toward the nearby Qingtong County.

 

The rest of the soldiers checked the bodies of the slain bandits to ensure they were dead, then moved them to the roadside and covered them with straw to avoid scaring passing travelers. They planned to leave the corpses for the county officials to collect later.

 

Zhao Beichuan, seeing that his help was unnecessary, returned to the carriage. Lu Yao opened the door slightly and asked, “Have all the bandits run away?”

 

“No, General Ge has taken care of them.”

 

“That’s good. We’re lucky he brought some men with him this time. Otherwise, with so many children in the carriage, things could have gone badly.”

 

This incident was just a minor interlude. When they reached the next relay station, everyone gathered to chat about it.

 

Lu Lin said, “Those bandits were really unlucky to run into us and get wiped out by our brother-in-law!”

 

Hu Chunrong patted her chest, still frightened. “That was so scary. I didn’t even dare open the door, afraid of scaring Mother and Peach.”

 

The little girl raised her face and said, “Mother, I wasn’t scared.”

 

Old Lady Lu kissed her granddaughter’s cheek. “Our Peach is so brave.”

 

Ge Egg, seeing this, came over and said, “Grandma, I wasn’t scared either. When I grow up, I’ll be like Papa and beat the bad guys!”

 

“Oh my!” Everyone couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

 

Four days later, the group finally arrived at Qiushui Town.

 

It had been six years since they last left. Coming back, the changes in the town were striking.

 

Xiao Nian pointed to a row of shops along the street and said, “Sister-in-law, look, these shops have all been rebuilt!”

 

“Indeed!” Lu Yao also leaned out of the window to look. Many familiar shops had changed owners, and previously vacant lots now had new buildings.

 

As they looked outside, pedestrians on the road were also sizing up the line of carriages.

 

“How grand! Just one of these carriages must be worth dozens of strings of cash, right?”

 

“Dozens? One of these carriages would cost at least a hundred strings!”

 

“Oh my, which wealthy family’s guests are visiting our town…”

 

The carriages traveled about three miles down the road and stopped in front of the early breakfast shop they used to run.

 

The shop had long changed hands and was now called Hu Family Breakfast Shop. The owner was Hu Chunrong’s younger brother, Hu Chunsheng.

 

The couple was busy working when they saw so many carriages suddenly stop at their door. Startled at first, they quickly guessed that it must be their sister and brother-in-law returning from the city!

 

Hu Chunsheng wiped his hands and walked toward the carriages. When he saw Lu Lin not far away, his eyes widened. “Brother-in-law!”

 

“Hey!” Lu Lin waved with a smile.

 

Hu Chunsheng quickly ran over. In the carriage, Hu Chunrong’s eyes turned red when she heard her brother’s voice. She opened the door and called out, “Chunsheng!”

 

“Big Sister!”

 

The siblings’ tears instantly flowed.

 

“Sister, why did it take you so long to come back? It’s been so many years…”

 

It was little Peach who asked curiously, “Mother, who is this?”

 

Hu Chunsheng wiped his tears and looked at Lu Peach in surprise. “Is this my niece?”

 

“Yes.” Hu Chunrong picked up her daughter. “Peach, say hello to your uncle.”

 

Peach sweetly called out, “Uncle.”

 

“My sweet girl!” Hu Chunsheng hugged her tightly and pinched her little nose.

 

Behind them, Stone hesitated before calling out, “Uncle.”

 

“Yes!” Hu Chunsheng patted Stone’s shoulder. “You’ve grown so big. Come on, everyone, let’s go inside!”

 

The group parked the carriages to the side, drawing a crowd of neighbors curious to see the excitement.

 

Zhao Beichuan helped Lu Yao off the carriage. The two of them looked at the low, shabby breakfast shop, feeling a mix of emotions.

 

“Seeing this place reminds me of the old days. Look, even the tables and stoves are the ones we made back then!”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Life was tough back then. We had to get up before dawn, especially in winter when our hands and feet were so frozen they lost all feeling.” Lu Yao teased, “Could you handle that work now?”

 

“I could do it, but probably not with the same energy as back then.”

 

Hu Chunsheng invited everyone inside to sit and have a bowl of soy pudding. The recipe was still the same, and the taste hadn’t changed a bit.

 

Drinking a bowl of it, Lu Yao was flooded with nostalgia. In the past, any leftover soy pudding from the shop was consumed at home, to the point where he got sick of it.

 

Now, tasting it again, he found it surprisingly pleasant.

 

Hu Chunsheng and his wife closed the shop and called over the Hu family matriarch.

 

When Hu Chunrong saw her mother, the two women embraced and cried again, leaving everyone with a lump in their throat.

 

Even Old Lady Lu’s eyes grew misty as she dabbed them with a handkerchief. “Old Sister, are you still in good health?”

 

The Hu matriarch was short, dark, and thin, with a head full of silver hair but still very spirited. “Very well! Life is good, so how could I not be?”

 

The two elderly women had endless things to talk about. Meanwhile, Xiao Nian was eager to visit her childhood friend, Liu Yue, so Lu Yao accompanied her to the Liu family’s alley.

 

At the Liu house, they knocked on the door. After a moment, a half-grown boy opened it. “Who are you looking for?”

 

Lu Yao asked, “Are you Liu Yuan?”

 

The boy nodded, puzzled as he looked at the two visitors. Liu Yuan had been less than two years old when they left, so he naturally didn’t remember his neighbors.

 

“Are your mother and sister Yue at home?”

 

“They’re home.” Liu Yuan called out, and soon Liu’s second sister-in-law came out of the house. When she saw Lu Yao, she froze.

 

“You… you’re Lu Yao?!”

 

Lu Yao smiled. “Second Sister-in-law, long time no see.”

 

“Oh my little brother! Come in, come in!” She quickly opened the door and was even happier when she saw the gifts they were carrying.

 

“How do you have time to come back?”

 

“Old Lady Lu was homesick and hadn’t been back in years, so we decided to visit.”

 

Inside, the Liu family home hadn’t changed much. The two brothers still lived in the east and west wings, and the Liu patriarch had passed away a few years ago.

 

Xiao Nian eagerly went to the east wing to visit Liu Yue, while Lu Yao carried a box of pastries to the west wing with Liu’s second sister-in-law.

 

“Have a seat. I’ll get you some water! You’re finally back. Stay for a meal before you go. I’ll kill a chicken!”

 

Lu Yao quickly stopped her. “No need for that. Old Lady Lu wants to visit the village soon, so we’ll be leaving shortly.”

 

Only then did she sit down, holding Lu Yao’s hands and looking him up and down. “After all these years, you haven’t changed a bit!”

 

“Really?”

 

“Your figure, your looks—you could still pass for an unmarried young man.”

 

Lu Yao couldn’t help but laugh. “Second Sister-in-law, don’t tease me.”

 

“Tease? Look at your smooth, youthful face—no wrinkles at all.” She touched her hair. “I’ve already got white hairs growing.”

 

Ancient people, due to their lower living standards, generally started graying in their mid-thirties. By forty, most began transitioning into old age.

 

Lu Yao, at twenty-eight, was nearing grandfather status according to the norms of ancient times, where marriage usually happened at sixteen or seventeen.

 

However, living in the city with better conditions, balanced nutrition, and no hard labor, he naturally appeared younger and healthier.

 

“Has Beichuan come back with you?”

 

“He has.”

 

“Did you bring the child with you?”

 

Lu Yao thought she was asking about Xiaodou. “Xiaodou didn’t come. He’s preparing for the autumn imperial examinations.”

 

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Oh my, Douzi is so accomplished now!”

 

Lu Yao smiled and nodded. “That child is bright and has some talent for studying, so we let him focus on his books.”

 

“And you and Beichuan… still don’t have any children?”

 

“No, we don’t.”

 

“Have you gone to a doctor?”

 

“We had a physician check before. He said I was seriously ill as a child, which left my health weak. That might be the reason.”

 

She quickly held his hand to comfort him. “It’s probably just that the time hasn’t come. Wait a little longer, and perhaps it will happen.”

 

Lu Yao gave a faint smile and nodded.

 

The two chatted about the town. Liu’s second sister-in-law no longer worked at the breakfast shop; she found Hu Chunsheng’s wife difficult to get along with. Now, she worked as a helper for a wealthy family in town, earning two hundred coins a month for fifteen days of work.

 

Meanwhile, in the east wing, Xiao Nian and Liu Yue were catching up. Liu Yue had already been betrothed and was set to marry in the fall. Recently, she had been at home sewing her wedding clothes with her mother.

 

The two childhood friends were so excited to see each other that they held hands and swayed with joy.

 

Liu Yue tapped Xiao Nian’s nose lightly and said, “I thought you’d forgotten all about me.”

 

“How could I?”

 

The two of them sized each other up, and six years had turned them both into graceful young ladies.

 

Xiao Nian quickly took out the box from the bundle and handed it to her. “I might not be able to make it back for your wedding, so I’m giving this to you in advance. Don’t you dare refuse.”

 

“What is it?” Liu Yue opened it curiously. Inside the wooden box was a pair of silver hairpins, a pair of earrings, and a pair of silver bracelets engraved with “Hundred Blessings.”

 

“No, no, this is too much!” Just the bracelets alone were worth several strings of coins—she couldn’t possibly accept them.

 

“If you don’t take them, I’ll get mad.”

 

“It’s too expensive…”

 

“It’s not that expensive. I bought it with my own savings.” Nowadays, Xiao Nian helped out at the restaurant, and her sister-in-law gave her several hundred taels of silver as pocket money each year. This set of jewelry was the simplest she could find, fearing that if it were more expensive, Liu Yue would be even less willing to accept it.

 

Unable to refuse, Liu Yue had no choice but to take out a red silk bridal veil with twin lotus embroidery she had made herself and handed it to Xiao Nian. “I don’t have anything valuable, but this veil is made of good material. You can use it when you get married someday.”

 

Xiao Nian happily accepted it, and the two of them hid in Liu Yue’s room, chatting like they used to when they were young.

 

Half an hour later, they heard Lu Yao calling for her outside.

 

Liu Yue held her hand reluctantly. “Who knows when we’ll meet again next time?”

 

Xiao Nian couldn’t help but shed tears. “Yueyue, I’ll come back to visit you whenever I have some free time.”

 

Liu Yue hugged her tightly for a long moment before letting go. The two close friends bid farewell in tears.

 

—

 

They didn’t linger in town for long. After visiting a few old neighbors, they headed straight back to Lujiacun.

 

Meanwhile, Wang Youtian took Lu Yun back to Liushucun.

 

Five large horse-drawn carriages traveled in a line toward the village, startling the villagers working in the fields along the way. They all put down their tools and ran after the carriages.

 

When the carriages stopped at the Lu family’s doorstep, and Mother Lu was helped down by her son, the crowd was shocked to discover that it was none other than the old lady of the Lu family!

 

The neighbors immediately gathered around. “Sister-in-law, you’re back!”

 

“The water and soil of the prefecture must really nourish people—you haven’t changed a bit over the years!”

 

“Your family must have made a fortune in the prefecture. Look at the fabric you’re wearing—we’ve never seen anything like it!”

 

Old Lady Lu beamed with delight and asked Hu Chunrong to take out a box of candies from the carriage to share with the neighbors.

 

Everyone eagerly grabbed the candies. After all, these were from the prefecture—something they couldn’t usually get their hands on!

 

Lu Lin opened the courtyard gate. During their absence, the house had been entrusted to the care of the second uncle’s family, but it had still fallen into disrepair without regular occupancy.

 

A large section of the thatched roof was ruined, the windows had warped from rain, and water had seeped inside, leaving the bedding on the kang moldy.

 

Old Lady Lu sighed in distress. “This bedding was bought when your father was still alive. What a pity.”

 

Ge Changbao quickly ordered his men to tidy up the house, washing and scrubbing everything to avoid upsetting the old lady.

 

It was his first time in Lujiacun, and he had never met his father-in-law. He planned to visit the mountain with his son tomorrow to pay his respects at the old man’s grave.

 

Before long, news of their return reached Lu Guangxing, who came over with his son and grandson to pay their respects.

 

When the elderly siblings met, they couldn’t help but cry again.

 

That’s just how people are—grudges from youth fade over time, leaving only fond memories.

 

Lu Guangxing had two sons and two daughters, all of whom were married with families of their own.

 

The two sons had four or five children, who were now about the same age as Shitou and Jinzi. Seeing each other, they felt a little shy.

 

Old Lady Lu handed out candies to the children, who each held their piece and called her “Grandma.”

 

“Good children,” she responded affectionately.

 

Lu Guangxing’s wife had passed away a few years ago, so he now lived with his eldest son’s family. His health was still relatively good.

 

“All these years, during every New Year, I’ve brought Big Brother and Big Nephew to my house for the holiday. Just because you weren’t here didn’t mean they should be left out—Lujiacun is still their home, after all.”

 

“Yes, yes…” Mother Lu couldn’t hold back her tears, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

 

Lu Yao gently patted her back to comfort her. He was worried that the old lady’s emotions might take a toll on her health during such a rare visit home.

 

He asked Xiaochun to boil a pot of water in the kitchen and brewed tea with leaves they had brought from the prefecture. Everyone sat in the house and chatted.

 

At noon, Zhao Beichuan bought a pig, but before he could start, a few soldiers skillfully slaughtered it.

 

Lu Lin and Ge Changbao removed the stove from the kitchen and set up a temporary one in the courtyard. The old house’s kang hadn’t been used in years, so it was clogged. They would have to clear it out in the afternoon before it could be used.

 

—

 

Meanwhile, Wang Youtian was rushing back to Liushucun with his horse-drawn carriage.

 

As soon as he reached the gate of his home, he called out, “Dad! Mom! We’re back!”

 

Inside, the elderly lady of the Wang family was mending an old quilt on the kang. Hearing her third son’s voice, she thought she was imagining things. She set down her needlework and went to take a look, only to see her son standing there.

 

Excited, she slapped her thigh. “Youtian! You’re finally back!”

 

Wang Youtian parked the carriage in the yard and quickly ran toward his mother, hugging the little old lady as tears streamed down his face.

 

Lu Yun also got off the carriage, holding Jinzi’s hand to help him down.

 

The elderly lady hurriedly pushed her son aside and walked briskly over. “Jinjin, my precious grandson, you’ve grown so much!”

 

Before she could react, another smaller “Jinzi” climbed out of the carriage.

 

“Call Grandma,” Wang Youtian said.

 

Yinzi called softly, “Grandma.”

 

The elderly lady scooped up the younger child and kissed his little face, her heart melting. “This must be Yinzi, right? He looks just like Jinzi when he was little!”

 

From the house next door, the second daughter-in-law of the Wang family, who was heavily pregnant, came out with a delighted smile. “Youtian and Lu Yun are back!”

 

Lu Yun didn’t have much affection for this sister-in-law and simply nodded politely.

 

The second sister-in-law didn’t seem to mind, eagerly waddling over to inspect the large carriage.

 

“You must’ve made a fortune in the prefecture. This carriage must’ve cost a lot of silver!”

 

Wang Youtian coughed. “The carriage isn’t ours; we rented it from the Chaobiao Agency.”

 

The second sister-in-law tried to peek inside the carriage, but the elderly lady scolded her. “You’re heavily pregnant—go back inside and rest! Stay away from the carriage; if the horse gets startled, you might get hurt!”

 

Pouting, the second sister-in-law turned and went back inside.

 

Lu Yun then carried two bundles down from the carriage and followed them into the house.

 

Nothing much had changed in the house since they had left. It was just as they had left it. Wang Youtian went to the kitchen, scooped a ladle of cold water, and gulped it down. “Mom, where’s Dad?”

 

“He went to check on someone’s mule. He’ll be back soon.”

 

The elderly lady held little Yinzi in her arms, unable to hide her delight. “There are some eggs on the shelf. Go boil a few for the children and Lu Yun—they must be tired from the journey.”

 

“It wasn’t too bad. We traveled with my mother-in-law’s family. With all the chatting and laughing along the way, it didn’t feel tiring.”

 

“How is your in-laws’ health?”

 

“They’re fine, just not as strong as before.”

 

The elderly lady patted his hand. “A couple of years ago, you wrote to say Yinzi was born. Your dad and I really wanted to visit, but it was just too far, so we gave up.”

 

Lu Yun said, “Mom, this time, why don’t you and Dad come back to the prefecture with us?”