Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 133

Chapter 133

 

As the weather turned cold, the hotpot business at the restaurant began to flourish.

 

Almost every day, the restaurant was fully booked, and the private rooms on the second floor had to be reserved in advance; otherwise, there was no chance of getting a spot.

 

With so many people dining, conflicts inevitably arose. At noon, a fight broke out in one of the upstairs private rooms.

 

Lu Yao was eating in the backyard when he suddenly heard a worker rushing over and exclaiming, “Something’s wrong, boss! Upstairs—Spring Pavilion and Plum Room guests are fighting!”

 

Startled, Lu Yao immediately put down his bowl and chopsticks and hurried upstairs.

 

Just as he reached the stairs, he heard a loud argument coming from above:

“Who the hell do you think you are, cursing me?”

“You’ve got some nerve! I’ll end you!”

“Gentlemen, please stop!” Lu Yao quickly instructed the workers to intervene and break up the fight.

 

The two involved were Chen Huizhou, the son of the military governor of Fanyang, and Liang Yong’s son.

 

The two were about the same age, both hot-headed and impulsive. For some unknown reason, their argument had escalated into a fistfight. Lu Yao couldn’t afford to offend either party, so he quickly sent someone to fetch Liang Zhong to help separate his nephew from the altercation.

 

Since Liang Yong’s passing, the Liang family business had declined significantly under Liang Chang’an’s management and was now marginalized. Naturally, he felt resentful, but without his father’s skill and ability, he could only drown his sorrows in alcohol, growing increasingly despondent.

 

That day, he had brought a few friends to dine at the restaurant. While returning from the restroom, he accidentally entered Chen Bin’s Spring Pavilion room.

 

These two rooms faced each other, and he happened to walk in on Chen Bin being intimate with his newly purchased concubine. Feeling displeased about being seen, Chen Bin immediately called out, questioning Liang Chang’an’s background and manners.

 

Liang Chang’an, slightly drunk, responded aggressively, “What business is it of yours who I am?”

 

Chen Bin, a spoiled rich kid who was used to being flattered, had never been treated so rudely. He retorted, “Can’t even speak properly, huh? A wretch with a mother but no father to teach him!”

 

This comment enraged Liang Chang’an. He rushed forward, grabbed Chen Bin by the collar, and punched him.

 

Chen Bin was stunned by the blow and retaliated by picking up a wine jar from the table and smashing it towards Liang Chang’an. The two began to brawl, throwing punches and kicks.

 

The workers forcibly separated them and dragged each into their respective rooms.

 

Lu Yao first went to Chen Bin’s room to calm him down. This young master, with his prestigious background and spoiled nature, had moved to Pingzhou temporarily after hearing about the Lu family restaurant’s delicious food and had become a frequent visitor.

 

“Master Chen, please calm down. What happened to escalate things so suddenly?” Lu Yao asked soothingly.

 

“That bastard disrespected me, barging into my room, speaking rudely, and even daring to hit me! He’s got a death wish!”

 

“Were you hurt?”

 

“Hiss…” Chen Bin sucked in a breath of cold air; half his face was swollen, and his anger grew. “I’ll make him pay sooner or later!”

 

Lu Yao quickly instructed a servant to fetch some medicine. Seeing that Chen Bin was still furious and noticing his concubine trembling with fear, Lu Yao ordered someone to bring over some hot tea and clean up the broken porcelain on the floor.

 

In the other room, Liang Chang’an was trembling with rage, blood trickling down his temple from a wound caused by the wine jar.

 

Lu Yao hurriedly had the wound disinfected and treated. Given his close business ties with Liang Yong, he had watched Liang Chang’an grow up. Seeing him in this state, Lu Yao couldn’t help but sigh.

 

“Why provoke him? His father holds significant power. If you anger him, he might retaliate in underhanded ways.”

 

“He insulted me, said I had a mother but no father to teach me! How could I swallow that insult?” Liang Chang’an retorted furiously.

 

The insult was indeed harsh, especially since his father had passed away. Lu Yao patted his shoulder. “I’ve already sent someone to call your uncle over. Calm down for now.”

 

Before long, Liang Zhong arrived, accompanied by Madam Zhang and Zhang Qiulan.

 

Upon reaching the second floor, Liang Zhong first went to apologize to Chen Bin. However, Chen Bin, being the troublemaker he was, insisted that Liang Chang’an kneel before him to make amends.

 

Grinding his teeth, Liang Zhong stormed into the adjacent room and raised his hand to hit his nephew.

 

Both Madam Zhang and Lu Yao quickly intervened to stop him. It wouldn’t do to hit him—this child had lost his father and was at a rebellious age. Such a slap might destroy what little familial bond remained.

 

“You… you’re nothing like your father!” Liang Zhong said angrily, pointing at Liang Chang’an.

 

Liang Chang’an pursed his lips in silence. Deep down, he regretted his actions. One should not fight officials as a businessman; punching Chen Bin might significantly impact the Liang family’s business in Fanyang.

 

Tears streamed down his face as he muttered, “But he said I had no father… he can’t say I have no father…” His voice broke as he began sobbing.

 

Liang Zhong’s eyes reddened as well. He pulled his nephew into an embrace and said, “Who says you have no father? I’m your father now. Isn’t your uncle still here for you?”

 

“Wahhh…” Liang Chang’an cried on his uncle’s shoulder. This was the first time he had cried so freely since his father’s passing. Madam Zhang’s eyes also turned red at the scene.

 

Lu Yao handed her a handkerchief, and she wiped the corners of her eyes, saying, “I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”

 

“It’s no trouble at all. Soon, we’ll be one family, so let’s not worry about it,” Lu Yao replied with a smile.

 

Nearby, Zhang Qiulan called out, “Sister-in-law.”

 

Lu Yao nodded with a smile. Zhang Qiulan was an exceptionally handsome young man. Every time Lu Yao saw him, it lifted his spirits.

 

“Xiaochun is in the kitchen,” Lu Yao said.

 

Zhang Qiulan blushed slightly, whispered a few words to Madam Zhang, and left the room.

 

He made his way to the backyard with practiced familiarity. In the kitchen, Xiaochun was busy cooking. The heat of the stove had reddened his cheeks, and a thin layer of sweat covered his forehead and neck, giving him a glistening appearance.

 

Zhang Qiulan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and the mole at the corner of his eye seemed even redder.

 

“The sweet-and-sour pork is ready,” Xiaochun announced, placing the dish onto a plate and handing it to a waiter. He wiped his face with a cloth, turned around, and was surprised to see someone standing behind him. His eyes lit up as he hurried over.

 

“You… why are you here? It’s all greasy here; let’s go outside.”

 

Zhang Qiulan followed him to a quiet corner. “My cousin had some trouble, so I came with Aunt and Uncle.”

 

“Oh.” Xiaochun didn’t know what else to say after asking, awkwardly fidgeting and blushing.

 

Zhang Qiulan loved seeing him like this. He deliberately teased, “Is your hand better now?”

 

“Yes, it’s fine now!”

 

“Let me see.”

 

Xiaochun nervously extended his injured hand. The scabs had almost fallen off, and the newly grown skin was noticeably different in color from the surrounding area. That ointment seemed effective, as no scars remained.

 

“Does it still hurt?”

 

“N-no, it doesn’t.”

 

Zhang Qiulan gently touched it, and Xiaochun froze, his earlobes turning bright red.

 

“Be careful next time.”

 

“Mm, I will…”

 

Zhang Qiulan chuckled softly. “I’ll head back now. I’ll come by again when I have time.”

 

“Mm.” After he left, Xiaochun clumsily returned to the kitchen. While chopping vegetables, he nearly cut himself again, prompting Lu Qing to chase him out.

 

Sitting on the steps outside, Xiaochun hugged his hand, which had just been touched, and smiled foolishly.

 

—

 

As for the incident between Liang Chang’an and Chen Bin, it was eventually resolved by Liang Zhong, who mediated and paid compensation to settle the matter.

 

The incident did not stir much trouble, and the Lu family restaurant continued to thrive.

 

However, Liang Chang’an matured significantly afterward. No longer frequenting the restaurant to drown his sorrows, he began learning business management from the senior shopkeepers in his family.

 

Though not as talented as Liang Yong, Liang Chang’an gradually took over his father’s business, showing some promise.

 

—

 

Meanwhile, something happened on the way back from Qingzhou.

 

On the fifth day of their journey, Granny Zhao fell ill. The long journey, coupled with the emotional highs and lows she had experienced, had overwhelmed her body, leading to a high fever.

 

Being elderly, her illness was particularly severe.

 

Zhao Beichuan gave her some medicine, which helped during the day, but the fever returned at night.

 

Watching her condition, both brothers grew anxious.

 

“Brother, what should we do?”

 

Zhao Beichuan used a cloth to wipe Granny Zhao’s face and said, “Let’s see if Granny’s fever subsides tomorrow. If not, I’ll ask the escorts if there’s a county nearby.”

 

The next day, Granny Zhao’s fever worsened, and Zhao Beichuan quickly found the escort leader to inquire about the nearest county.

 

The escort leader said, “If you head north for thirty li, you’ll reach Batong County. Why don’t you take her there and see a doctor?”

 

“Alright.”

 

But this would delay their journey, and Zhao Beichuan didn’t want to trouble the escort company further. “Please, escort leader, take my younger brother back. I’ll take Granny to the county to see a doctor.”

 

The escort leader hesitated and said, “I’ll leave two escorts with you. Otherwise, the journey back might be difficult.”

 

“Thank you, escort leader!”

 

Although Zhao Beidou was very reluctant, there were pressing matters at hand. He didn’t yet know the results of the imperial exam, and if he passed, he would have to go to the capital. These matters couldn’t be delayed, so he had no choice but to bid farewell to his elder brother.

 

Zhao Beichuan took Granny Zhao and the two escorts to Batong County, while Zhao Beidou continued his journey with the escort company. By now, it was already October.

 

At home, Lu Yao was growing anxious, almost visiting the escort company every other day to ask if there was any news from Qingzhou.

 

Unfortunately, in this era, transportation was slow, and communication was difficult. Messages from farther distances were hard to convey, so there had been no updates.

 

Lu Yao couldn’t help but worry, fearing they might have encountered bandits or fallen ill along the way.

 

This constant worry, coupled with a poor appetite, had made him lose weight, and his chin had become noticeably sharper.

 

When Lu Miao visited and saw his condition, he immediately knew he was fretting over his husband. “You were advising me the other day, but now you’re the one overthinking.”

 

Lu Yao massaged his temples and said, “I don’t know why. I’ve been feeling irritable and having nightmares at night. I keep thinking about how we encountered so many bandits the last time we went home and worrying they might run into something similar…”

 

“Don’t worry. Brother-in-law managed to fend off the barbarians back then. How much worse could mountain bandits be?”

 

“That’s true. Let’s hope they return soon.”

 

“Third Brother, should you see a doctor? I feel like your complexion doesn’t look right.”

 

Lu Yao also felt unusually tired lately and occasionally nauseous, but aside from that, he didn’t feel unwell. “No need. It’s probably just me worrying about Beichuan and Xiaodou and being exhausted from running the business.”

 

“You must take care of yourself. Otherwise, brother-in-law will be upset when he returns.”

 

Lu Yao chuckled. “Got it.”

 

On October 17th, Zhao Beidou and the others finally returned!

 

Upon hearing the news, Lu Yao rushed back from the distillery and was overjoyed to see Xiaodou. “Good boy! Do you know you became the top scorer of the provincial exam?”

 

Xiaodou grinned from ear to ear. “I know. They just told me.”

 

“Come inside. You must be exhausted from the journey. Have you eaten yet? Let your second brother make you some noodles.”

 

“Okay!”

 

As they walked, Lu Yao noticed something amiss. “Where’s your elder brother?”

 

Zhao Beidou then explained, “Granny Zhao fell ill on the way back. Eldest Brother stayed with her in a county in Qingzhou for treatment and asked me to come back first with the escorts.”

 

Lu Yao’s smile froze. “He didn’t come back?”

 

“Sister-in-law, don’t worry. Eldest Brother told me to tell you not to fret. The escort company left two escorts with him. They’ll be back in four or five days at the earliest, or half a month at most.”

 

Despite these reassurances, Lu Yao couldn’t hide his disappointment. “Go inside. Eat and rest well after your meal.”

 

“Alright.” Zhao Beidou hurried into the house.

 

Lu Yao clutched his chest, feeling a bit breathless and a pang of sourness in his nose. Just thinking about how long it would be until his husband returned made his tears uncontrollably flow.

 

He quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe his eyes.

 

He wasn’t usually so emotional and didn’t know what was wrong with him recently. He had become unusually fragile. After composing himself for a while, he tidied up his emotions and returned to the backyard.

 

Zhao Beidou had just washed his hands and was waiting for his second brother to finish cooking noodles. He looked thinner than before, with a hint of stubble on his face.

 

The boy had grown up.

 

Lu Yao pulled up a stool and sat across from him. “Was everything smooth during your journey?”

 

“Yes, everything went well, except on the way back, one of the carriages broke down, which delayed us for half a day.”

 

“Did you find our relatives back in the hometown?”

 

Zhao Beidou nodded and recounted their trip to his sister-in-law.

 

“We even found our maternal uncle. Eldest Brother looks so much like him! It’s like they were carved from the same mold!”

 

Lu Yao listened with great curiosity, wondering just how similar the two could be.

 

Before long, Xiaonian also rushed back. She and Ma Kuan had been house hunting recently. Initially, Lu Yao had planned to help them buy one, but thinking it was better for the young couple to choose their own home, he decided to give them more silver during their wedding instead.

 

“Xiaodou!”

 

“Sister.”

 

“You’re finally back! Did you find our relatives?”

 

“I was just telling Sister-in-law. We found our uncle and a cousin. Eldest Brother and I also visited the ancestral graves. We plan to relocate our parents’ graves here in the spring.”

 

“That’s wonderful! Where’s Eldest Brother? And Granny Zhao?”

 

Xiaodou repeated what he had just said, and Xiaonian quickly looked at Sister-in-law. Seeing his pale face, she grabbed his hand and said, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry. Eldest Brother will be back in a few days. Everything will be fine.”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Xiaonian then asked about their hometown.

 

“It’s similar to our village in Wangou. Our cousin’s family is doing well, but our uncle’s family isn’t. Our aunt is sick and has been on medication.”

 

Lu Yao asked, “Did you take them to see a doctor?”

 

“Yes. Eldest Brother and I spent two days persuading them. We took them to Qingzhou City, where Eldest Brother rented them a house and left money for their treatment.”

 

Lu Yao finally felt at ease. “That’s good. We don’t have many relatives left. It’s only right to take good care of our uncle.”

 

“That’s what Eldest Brother said.”

 

Lu Yao added, “Zijian wrote you a letter some time ago. It’s in your room. I think he’s asking when you’ll be heading to the capital.”

 

In February next year, he would have to take the metropolitan exam and palace exam, so he needed to prepare in advance.

 

Xiaodou quickly finished his bowl of noodles and rushed home in a carriage.

 

Lu Yao, still uneasy, went inside. But before he could calm down, worse news came in the afternoon: the Khitan had marched south with an army of 100,000!