Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 132

Chapter 132

Qiao Sheng pulled Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Beidou back home first. As soon as they entered the house, he asked, “Where’s your mother?”

“Mother… Mother has been gone for a long time, and Father too.”

Qiao Sheng’s eyes instantly  turned red. “How did they pass?”

“Mother fell ill and wasn’t cured. Father broke his leg while chopping wood on the mountain and didn’t make it either.” Zhao Beichuan didn’t dare mention that their mother passed away giving birth to Xiaodou, fearing his uncle would hold it against his younger brother.

Qiao Sheng wiped his eyes, but the more he wiped, the more the tears flowed. In the end, he couldn’t hold it in and knelt on the ground, sobbing loudly.

He had only this one sister, and they had been close since childhood. If not for the flood that had separated them back then, he would have taken his wife and children north as well.

But when the waters receded, he couldn’t find his sister and brother-in-law again, so he had no choice but to follow the villagers back.

“All these years… I thought you were all gone…”

Zhao Beichuan wiped his own eyes and helped his uncle up. “It’s all in the past now.”

Zhao Beidou’s heart also ached, and he couldn’t hold back his tears either. The three of them, uncle and nephews, took a long time to calm down. Qiao Sheng led them into the house.

It was clear that Uncle’s family wasn’t doing too well. The three low, thatched houses were quite dilapidated, and the house had a heavy smell of medicinal herbs.

On the kang bed, Liu Shi heard the door open and said, “Husband, you’re back?”

“Cui Zhi, look who’s here.”

Liu Shi raised her head and saw Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Beidou standing behind him. Her eyes widened. “This… These are Xiaomin’s children!”

“Aunt.”

“Oh, my dears!” Liu Shi’s tears streamed down her face. She reached out to hold them, her thin hands touching their faces. “Where are your parents? Why are you two back alone?”

“Xiaomin and Er’an are gone.” Qiao Sheng blew his nose, his eyes red.

Liu Shi choked and began to cry. She wasn’t in good health and had a chronic chest condition. Qiao Sheng dared not let her grieve too much, so he quickly helped her by patting her back.

After a while, Liu Shi finally stopped crying and asked hoarsely, “What are your names?”

“My name is Zhao Beichuan, my younger brother is Zhao Beidou, and we have a younger sister named Zhao Xiaonian.”

Liu Shi held Zhao Beichuan’s hand and said to her husband, “This child looks so much like you. At a glance, you can tell they’re of the Qiao family’s bloodline.”

Qiao Sheng also loved his two nephews dearly. “Stay here for now. I’ll go buy some food and wine.”

“No need to trouble yourself.”

“It’s no trouble.” Qiao Sheng took a string of coins from the chest and hurried out.

Liu Shi seemed seriously ill, her face pale and bloodless. She wanted to get up to host the two nephews but lacked the strength.

Zhao Beichuan quickly helped her lie down. “Aunt, don’t get up. We’ll take care of ourselves.”

“Ah… This body is no good anymore. Tell me about your parents.”

Zhao Beichuan sat down and spoke in detail. By the time the sun was setting, Qiao Sheng returned carrying a slab of pork and a small jar of yellow wine. He didn’t have much spare money at home, and the wine was bought on credit.

When he entered the house, Zhao Beichuan had already prepared a meal. They had brought smoked meat and pickled vegetables from the cart, which he used to make a pot of smoked meat porridge.

Qiao Sheng looked at his nephew and smiled. “You even know how to cook?”

“Yes, I ran a restaurant with my husband for a few years.”

“Impressive. Let’s eat then.”

A small kang table was placed on the bed, and the three of them sat together. Liu Shi only had half a bowl of porridge before she became too weak to sit and lay down to sleep.

“Aunt’s health…”

Qiao Sheng sighed. “Ah, she grieved herself sick during the famine when we lost three children. Later, she gave birth to two more but couldn’t raise them. Her heart condition has only worsened.”

“Did you consult a doctor?”

“We did. She’s been taking medicine, but it hasn’t helped much.”

The barefoot doctor in town mostly prescribed basic tonics, which neither cured nor harmed her but still cost a lot of money.

Zhao Beichuan said, “My husband and I run a restaurant in Pingzhou. Life’s not bad. How about coming back with us?”

Qiao Sheng froze for a moment and shook his head. “No, it’s too far, and I’m afraid your aunt’s body can’t take the journey.”

Zhao Beichuan knew he didn’t want to be a burden but still hoped his uncle could live a better life.

“Then let’s go to Qingzhou City. We can find a doctor for Aunt. We can’t just let it drag on like this.”

Qiao Sheng waved his hand. Over the years, they had spent all their savings on his wife’s treatment. How could they afford to go to Qingzhou for a doctor?

“You don’t need to worry about money. Your nephew has some silver. It’s enough to cover the expenses!”

Qiao Sheng’s nose stung, and tears glistened in his eyes. He stood up and dug out a small bundle from the bottom of a chest. “These are your mother’s belongings. They were left behind when we got separated. There’s even a little garment she made for you.”

Zhao Beichuan opened the bundle. Inside were a needlework basket, a few pieces of fabric, and at the very bottom, a small brown cloth garment, only the size of his palm.

Zhao Beidou also leaned over to look. He had never even seen his mother’s face. Taking the little garment from his elder brother’s hands, he held it to his nose as if he could smell his mother’s scent.

Qiao Sheng told them many stories from the past, from their mother’s childhood to her marriage. Unfortunately, a natural disaster had separated them, and they had never been able to reunite.

The three talked late into the night before finally going to sleep.

—

After a recent autumn rain, the days had turned even colder.

Early in the morning, Lu Yao sneezed three times in a row and felt his forehead, noticing it was a bit warm. He quickly found a thick robe to put on, finally feeling a bit warmer.

Outside, Qibao and Panzi were already waiting.

These two brothers were servants Lu Yao had purchased in recent years. Seeing Lu Yao come out, they prepared the carriage and asked, “Master, are we going to the restaurant or the shop today?”

“Let’s go to Qiancao Zhai first.”

“Yes.” Qibao helped Lu Yao into the carriage.

Leaning against a soft cushion, the swaying of the carriage made Lu Yao drowsy again, and he dozed off until they arrived. Lately, he had been feeling constantly tired—probably the autumn fatigue.

Getting off the carriage, he walked into the shop. The spice shop was being renovated.

The old, shabby counters had been moved out and replaced with custom-made chicken-wing wood shelves. Behind them were rows of small cubbies for storing various spices.

This shop didn’t just sell spices but also incense tools. A finely crafted incense ball could sell for five or six taels of silver—a highly profitable business.

The customers for spices were mostly wealthy families, both men and women. Some loved the aroma of spices, while others used them to mask personal odors.

After all, people like Lu Yao, who bathed daily, were rare. Most people only bathed once or twice a month, and in winter, some didn’t bathe for several months. In such cold weather, catching a chill could be life-threatening.

This shop had struggled because its previous owner had passed away. His son was irresponsible and squandered the family wealth, forcing him to sell the shop in desperation. In the end, Lu Yao acquired it for just 5,000 taels of silver.

“Master.” The spice shop’s manager came over to greet him. Her name was Yan Ni, a woman in her thirties. She had initially thought the new owner would dismiss her, but to her surprise, she was kept on as the manager.

“When can the shop open for business?”

“By the end of the month at the latest, Master.”

It was already mid-September, so the end of the month wasn’t far off. “Good. Finish the renovations and prepare the incense tools.”

“Understood.”

“Hold a promotional event after opening.”

Yan Ni looked at him in confusion. “I’m not sure what the master means by a promotional event…”

“Buy incense and get free incense holders. Give away those old, unsellable, and cheap incense holders, and then stock up on better ones.”

“Yes.” Yan Ni’s thoughts stirred. This idea was excellent. The shop had accumulated quite a few old incense holders. Though they were still of good quality, their outdated designs made them hard to sell. Giving them away with purchases could attract many returning customers.

Lu Yao continued, “From now on, customers who spend a certain amount in the shop will become our member customers, with priority access to new incense for sampling.”

“Ah… wait, master, let me write this down first.” Yan Ni hurriedly grabbed pen and paper and started jotting things down on the desk.

“Develop unique blends of incense that are only available to members, not the general public.”

“If a member doesn’t make a purchase within three months, their membership level will be downgraded.”

“Create luxurious incense holders made of gold and silver—the more extravagant, the better. Set high prices and limit them to ten per month.”

“Choose appealing names for the incense. If necessary, hire scholars skilled in composing flowery poetry to come up with the names. Spare no expense, but ensure the names become well-known.”

Yan Ni listened attentively, growing increasingly respectful of this handsome young man before her.

She had never thought of these methods of doing business. No wonder Lu’s restaurant had become so popular in just a few years.

Lu Yao counted on his fingers, sharing almost every marketing strategy he could think of from his past life. Then he stood, putting on his cloak. “Work hard. I’m giving you three months. If the shop’s profit doesn’t double, I’ll find someone else to take over.”

Yan Ni froze. Three months would take them to the New Year. While profits would surely rise, doubling them seemed far-fetched…

Lu Yao paused at the door. “If you do well, I’ll give you a bonus based on the shop’s earnings.”

“Yes!”

After leaving the incense shop, Lu Yao rubbed his hands together as he entered the back room of the restaurant. The wind was chilly, cutting right through to the bone.

Xiao Lan’er came in carrying a warming stone. “Sister Nian asked me to bring this to you, sister-in-law.”

“Thanks, sweetheart.” Lu Yao took the warming stone and held it close, pulling Xiao Lan’er onto the kang bed to play. He grabbed a box of dried fruits from the cabinet and handed it to her.

The little girl wasn’t shy, taking off her shoes and sitting on the kang while munching on the dried fruits. Seeing how much she enjoyed them, Lu Yao also poured her some water. Once full and hydrated, she dozed off on the kang.

Lu Yao tucked her in, reaching out to pinch her chubby little cheeks. The texture was delightful.

He picked up the account books to review, flipping through the invitations delivered in recent days. Aside from needing to attend Lord Liu’s son’s wedding on the eighth day of next month, he only needed to send gifts for the other events.

The more he read, the sleepier he became, and soon he was nodding off, chin in hand.

“Third brother, third brother?”

Lu Yao woke up groggily to find Lu Miao standing before him.

“What are you doing here?”

Seeing the box of dried fruits on the kang, Lu Miao grabbed it and started eating. “Mother asked you to come over for dinner tonight.” Since Ge Changbao wasn’t home, Lu Miao had been spending most of his time either at his second brother’s house or helping out at the restaurant.

“Alright.” Lu Yao stretched. This nap had left his whole body feeling stiff, especially his shoulders, which were both sore and tense.

“Are you sick, brother?”

“No, why?”

“You don’t look too well.” Lu Miao handed him a handful of dried fruits, which he sorted through, eating only the longans and leaving the rest untouched.

“Maybe it’s the weather these past few days. I’ve probably caught a chill. I’ll have some ginger tea tonight, and I’ll be fine.”

“Have you heard from your husband and Xiao Dou?”

Lu Yao shook his head. “The latest they’ll return is mid-October. No rush.”

“Sigh. Ever since Changbao left, I’ve been a nervous wreck. Dan Dan keeps crying for his father. When he gets back, I’ll make sure he switches to a different position, one that doesn’t involve leading troops at the border.”

“Talk to him nicely. Your husband is a sensible man. Don’t throw a tantrum.”

“I know.”

After chatting for a bit, Lu Yao began getting dressed. Together, they rode the restaurant’s carriage back to Changshui Street.

That evening, Lu’s mother made dumplings stuffed with celery and minced meat. They were incredibly delicious.

Lu Yao couldn’t resist eating a few extra, but halfway through, he suddenly felt nauseous and had to cover his mouth as he ran outside.

When he returned, everyone was staring at him wide-eyed. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you have an upset stomach?” asked Lu Lin.

“A little. Maybe it’s from catching a chill earlier in the day.”

Hu Chunrong joked, “I think Third Brother might be having pregnancy cravings.”

Lu Yao burst into laughter. “What nonsense, sister-in-law? That’s impossible.”

He and Zhao Beichuan had been together for years without using any precautions, yet he had never conceived. How could he suddenly be pregnant now?

Not long ago, he had even consulted a doctor, who confirmed that he was in good health. The delay in conception likely had to do with the nature of ge’er themselves.

According to modern science, ge’er were essentially intersex individuals with two sets of reproductive organs. While they could conceive, they couldn’t produce sperm like men.

As they aged, the estrogen in a ge’er’s body would gradually decrease. Once it dropped below a certain level, they would lose their ability to conceive. In old age, some ge’er even grew beards like men.

Lu’s mother was worried. “Why don’t you have a doctor take a look?”

“Sure.” After throwing up, Lu Yao’s appetite returned, and he ate another six or seven dumplings, stopping only when his stomach was round and full.

That night, with the weather turning cold, Lu Lin insisted that Lu Yao stay at their house. The new courtyard had plenty of rooms, so there was space to spare.

But Lu Yao was concerned about Xiao Nian and Xiao Chun. “I’ll head back. It’s not far by carriage, and I’ll be there in no time.”

Seeing that he couldn’t persuade him to stay, Lu Lin personally drove the carriage to take him home.

When he returned, Lu Yao clutched his warming stone and dove into bed. Once Zhao Beichuan came back, he’d definitely make him set up a kang in the west room. Without him to warm the bed, his feet were freezing!

—

Meanwhile, Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Beidou were traveling to Qingzhou with their uncle, aunt, and Zhao Granny.

They had spent two days at their uncle’s house, finally convincing him to bring their aunt to Qingzhou for treatment.

Before departing, Zhao Beichuan picked up Zhao Granny and left fifty taels of silver with his two uncles and their families. It was his way of thanking them for their hospitality and maintaining good relations, as their parents’ graves would eventually need to be relocated, and he wanted to avoid any disputes.

Zhao Zhi and Zhao Gan were at a loss for words holding the silver. It seemed their nephew’s life was far better than they had imagined, which reassured them greatly.

The journey from the village to Qingzhou took three days. When they arrived, the escort company was still in town. Zhao Beichuan quickly informed them to wait another day while he settled his uncle and aunt.

He rented a small, standalone courtyard in Qingzhou and left four hundred taels of silver with his uncle. “Use this money for Aunt’s treatment. We’ll be back next year to relocate my parents’ graves.”

“This… this is too much!” Qiao Sheng waved his hands, refusing to take it.

“Please, take it. Take good care of Aunt and make sure she gets proper treatment. You’re the only family I have left.”

Liu Shi turned her head away, discreetly wiping her tears. She had never even held her nephew once as a child. What had she done to deserve such kindness from him now?

Qiao Sheng’s eyes welled with tears. “Good boy. I’ll remember this kindness. Don’t worry about us. We’ll focus on her recovery. You all have a long journey ahead. Stay safe.”

“Alright.”

Zhao Beichuan then returned to the escort company with his younger brother and Zhao Granny. After resting for the night, they set out early the next day.

They had been away for long enough. Zhao Beichuan was eager to return home, wondering how things were back there. Had Xiao Dou passed the imperial exam? Was Lu Yao missing him?