Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 28

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Shangjing is the capital

The weather seemed to have suddenly turned cold. Just a few days ago, it was so hot that one could hardly wear clothes, but this morning there was dew, and the leaves on the trees in the mountains were already turning yellow.

Lu Yao planned to make clothes in the next few days. With the experience from last time, he didn’t ask Aunt Tian Er to cut the patterns this time. It was better to rely on himself; besides, a piece of fabric could be quite useful.

The cloth he bought from the fabric store was a whole piece, measuring about six and a half meters in length and roughly one meter and twenty centimeters in width.

The cotton fabric was a deep brown color, resistant to dirt and wear. Most coarse fabrics came in such dark colors, as common people worked hard every day, and even the prettiest clothes wouldn’t withstand the friction.

This piece of fabric should be enough to make a set of clothes for each of the three siblings. Lu Yao didn’t plan to make anything for himself since he already had plenty of clothes. He had three pieces he brought when they got married—two thin ones that could be layered for colder weather and a thick cotton coat for winter.

Following the design of the old clothes, Lu Yao quickly cut out the trousers for the three of them first, making the waistbands with drawstrings.

Lu Yao decided not to cut the shirts in the ancient style. He wanted to leave less fabric in the front, so he could use the remaining cloth to sew a collar to block the wind and add two pockets to hold things.

Ancient clothes didn’t have pockets; items had to be stuffed into the folds or sleeves, which was very inconvenient. After sewing on these two pockets, even if he didn’t put anything in them, he could still keep his hands warm.

After finalizing the design, he learned to use burnt charcoal to draw on the fabric like Aunt Tian Er did and then cut it down to size.

The rest was the long sewing process. Fortunately, there wasn’t much entertainment in ancient times. After selling tofu during the day, he would come home to make clothes, and after making tofu in the evening, he would continue to sew.

During these days, Zhao Beichuan went out to the fields every day. The corn was nearly ripe, and many sparrows flew into the fields. Without anyone watching, they could ruin half a plot of land in no time.

This year, the fields on the uphill were looking good, and they could at least harvest ten stone of grain, while the downhill ones were not as promising—barely five stone would be a good result.

Fifteen stone sounds like a lot, but they had to pay one-fifth in taxes to the government, and what remained was all they could get. After deducting seeds and miscellaneous expenses, there would barely be enough left for four people to make ends meet for a year, and it would be impossible to save any money.

This is why life was hard for common folks; there was simply no way around it.

In the afternoon, Zhao Beichuan returned from the fields with a hoe on his shoulder. As soon as he entered the yard, Lu Yao called out to him, “Wash your hands and come try on the new clothes!”

“Okay.” He immediately put down the hoe, scooped a ladle of water to wash his hands, and hurried into the house.

“Take off your old clothes and try on this new one I made!”

Zhao Beichuan untied his sash and swiftly removed his old clothes, taking the new one from Lu Yao’s hands and putting it on.

“It looks great.” He had a bashful expression from wearing new clothes, constantly rubbing the fabric with his hands.

Since his mother passed away, no one had made clothes for him. Now, he was wearing his father’s old clothes, which had been patched up so many times that it was hard to tell what they originally looked like.

Lu Yao helped him adjust the collar, “The size is okay, but the sleeves are a bit long. Take it off, and I’ll alter it.”

Zhao Beichuan was a little reluctant to take it off. “The sleeves aren’t long; I can just roll them up.”

“Then let me sew a few stitches for you so it’s not inconvenient when you work.” Lu Yao took his hand and rolled the sleeves up by an inch before sewing them together.

They were very close, and Lu Yao’s warm breath brushed against Zhao Beichuan’s arm, making his heart race faster and faster.

“All done! Let’s try on the pants…” Lu Yao looked down and saw the bulging fabric of Zhao Beichuan’s pants, and his eyes widened.

Zhao Beichuan’s face turned beet red. He turned and ran outside, leaving Lu Yao standing there, a bit flustered. Little Beichuan was so impressive… so big…

In the afternoon, Lu’s father delivered the stone mill, which had taken half a month to carve out.

The two round millstones were finished, and a groove was carved into the bottom so that when grinding soybeans, the soy milk could flow down the groove, making it less likely to waste.

Lu Yao tried it out, and the new mill was not only easy to grind but also produced very fine soy milk.

“Dad, your craftsmanship is really good! It’s better than the stonemasons in town!”

Lu Guangsheng said proudly, “This thing is simple but requires effort. I took advantage of the free time before the autumn harvest to carve it out for you.”

“How’s the tofu selling?”

“It’s going well. I can sell about a board of tofu a day. What doesn’t sell, we keep for ourselves.”

Lu Guangsheng added, “You’re selling quite a bit! Your tofu is now famous. Many people in our village are asking how you make it and when you’ll go to Lujia Village to sell.”

Lu Yao had an idea, “I can sell it, but I don’t have the strength to transport it.” The two villages were five to six li apart, all on mountain roads. If he pushed a small cart there, he would be exhausted after the round trip.

The cart they were currently using was borrowed from the Qin family. Although it was said to be borrowed, there was no such thing as free use; every day, the leftover soybean dregs from making tofu were given to their family to feed their pigs.

“I was thinking of saving some money to get a mule cart. That way, I can sell in several nearby villages.”

“Yeah, getting a mule cart is indeed a good idea. It will come in handy for the fields later,” Lu Guangsheng said a few words and got up, preparing to leave.

“Stay for lunch; I’ll have Dachuan bring you some wine.”

“No need, no need. There’s still work to do at home. I have to hurry back.”

Last time he got drunk, when he returned, Lu Old Lady had a big fight with him, scolding him for being shallow, for caring more about wine than his own father, and questioning why he would embarrass the family. He still had two unmarried sons at home; who would want to find a son-in-law like that?

Lu Guangsheng was scolded, and although he looked unhappy, he felt a bit regretful. He didn’t want to lose face in front of his son-in-law and worried that he would look down on Lu Yao.

After sending off Lu’s father, Zhao Beichuan returned with the hoe on his shoulder.

“How’s the harvest in the fields?” Lu Yao placed the soybean bags into a wooden basin filled with clean water. This needed to be washed daily; otherwise, it would spoil by the next day.

“The corn is ripe; we can harvest it in a day or two.” Zhao Beichuan brought out a stack of burlap sacks to store the corn, noting that several had been chewed by mice and needed to be patched.

Seeing him threading a needle, Lu Yao said, “Leave that; I’ll fix it for you in a bit.”

“Okay.” Zhao Beichuan put down the needle, picked up a wooden board, and began sawing. Lu Yao asked him to make another mold since he said he would be making more tofu in the winter.

Zhao Xiaonian and Zhao Xiaodou squatted nearby, sorting the beans. The beans they received sometimes contained husks and stones, so they needed to be sorted out for easier tofu making.

A few chickens circled the two kids, and as soon as any spoiled beans were thrown out, they rushed over to snatch the food.

After sorting the beans, Lu Yao told them to go play. Once the kids were gone, he spoke up, “Zhao Beichuan, come here.”

“What’s up?”

“Can’t you sit a little closer to me?”

Zhao Beichuan blushed as he moved the items to his side.

Lu Yao nudged him with his arm, “Let’s go harvest the grain together tomorrow.”

“No need, our family’s land isn’t much; I can manage it by myself.”

“Two people can get it done faster.”

Zhao Beichuan’s face flushed again, “You earn more selling tofu at home than farming.”

“That’s true. Everyone is busy harvesting, and there’s no time to cook, so tofu will definitely sell better.” Plus, Lu Yao had a new grinder, which made it easy to use. He could slowly grind the beans for an hour and still manage to finish.

“You’ll have to do the hard work in the fields.”

Zhao Beichuan shook his head; he didn’t find it hard. When Lu Yao hadn’t come, he used to do it all alone. Back then, he was younger and not as strong as he was now, so he didn’t feel tired now.

Zhao Beichuan said, “I plan to help my father-in-law harvest his fields after finishing ours.”

“Ah, no wonder my father thinks so highly of you. You’re really good at flattering.”

Zhao Beichuan replied seriously, “My father-in-law is getting old, and my second brother has trouble with his legs. They helped me build the house without asking for wages, so naturally, I should help them a bit.”

Lu Yao stopped teasing him, and the two sat together, each doing their own tasks, the air filled with a subtle atmosphere of intimacy.

In recent days, every household had been busy rushing to harvest grain, even the older children had stopped playing and followed the adults to pick beans and wheat ears in the fields.

As far as the eye could see, the fields were bustling with people, patches of golden crops being cut down and bundled into sacks.

Millet, also known as small millet or grains, has nourished the children of China for thousands of years. Once mature, the millet is as long as an adult’s palm and as thick as a thumb, covered with tiny seeds. The saying “one grain of millet planted in spring, ten thousand seeds harvested in autumn” refers to this crop.

The Zhao family’s ten-plus acres were all planted with millet. The lower fields were flooded, so Zhao Beichuan had replanted some wheat, which hadn’t ripened yet, so they could only harvest the millet first.

Zhao Beichuan was skilled at farming, quick and agile with his hands; while others were cutting one row, he was almost done with the second.

During a break, a few farmers jokingly said, “Dachuan, cutting so fast, are you eager to go home to see your husband?”

Zhao Beichuan remained silent, but he was indeed thinking of Lu Yao. Once the crops were harvested… Zhao Beichuan’s gaze fell on his younger siblings; it was about time they went to bed on their own.

Zhao Xiaonian and Zhao Xiaodou were still unaware they were annoying and were fully engaged in picking ears of grain.

Many ripe millet grains had fallen prey to birds, and it would be a shame not to pick them up. This task was a bit strenuous for adults, but it was perfect for children; they were nimble and could fill a basket in no time.

By noon, Lu Yao came with a willow basket to deliver lunch, which contained three flatbreads and a bowl of scallion tofu.

The flatbreads were made from flour exchanged for beans, three dou of beans only yielded one dou of flour. It wasn’t easy to bake in the earthen pot; it couldn’t be heated too much, for fear of accidentally burning through it, so he had to wait until the temperature rose just enough to cook it through.

However, the bread tasted quite good. Lu Yao had eaten one piece at home and added a bit of oil while kneading the dough, making it soft and fluffy.

“Sister-in-law, look at how many ears I’ve picked!” Zhao Xiaonian and Zhao Xiaodou ran over.

“Really impressive! Are you hungry? I’ll call your brother over to eat.”

“Elder brother, it’s time to eat!”

Zhao Beichuan straightened up and set down his sickle.

His clothes were soaked with sweat after a morning’s work, so he simply took them off and tied them around his waist. His bronze-colored skin glistened with sweat, making him look particularly enticing.

Lu Yao licked his lips and handed him the water pouch. “Here, drink some water to cool off.”

Zhao Beichuan tilted his head back and gulped, water droplets trickling down his neck to his chest…

Lu Yao stared at him, wishing he could reach out and touch him.

Zhao Beichuan felt his ears burning from Lu Yao’s unabashed gaze and quickly squatted down to take a bite of the bread.

Not far away, Song Changshun was also watching them, his gaze glued to Lu Yao as if it were stuck. They were both young men, but how could Lu Yao be so good-looking? Even through his clothes, his slim waist was visible.

Remembering his ex-husband Lin Daman, who was tall and strong but lacked any tenderness, their intimate moments felt like battles with no enjoyment whatsoever.

Later, when he got involved with Song Guafu, he did experience a few days of happiness. But sadly, that didn’t last long; their affair was discovered. Now, seeing Lu Yao made his heart burn like a raging fire, impossible to extinguish. He felt so frustrated that he wished to pin Lu Yao down and cherish him thoroughly.

Feeling someone watching him, Lu Yao turned around and met Song Changshun’s lecherous face.

Disgusted, he felt goosebumps all over and quickly grabbed the empty basket to head home.

On the way back, he unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance, Lin Daman, who had just divorced.

“Daman, you’re back.”

Lin Daman looked up at the sound, “Lu, brother.”

“Come in and sit for a while. What brings you here?”

Lin Daman hesitated but followed Lu Yao into the yard. “During the divorce, the village head said that the land profits would be split between me and the kids. I thought I’d come see when it would be harvested since I have some free time.”

Lin Daman’s maternal home was over ten miles away, making it quite difficult to run back and forth.

“Have you eaten lunch yet? I have a piece of tofu left at home; I can heat it up for you.”

“No, no, don’t trouble yourself; I’m not hungry.” He said he wasn’t hungry, but his stomach growled, making his face turn beet red. “I left in a hurry this morning and didn’t eat anything.”

Lu Yao heated the tofu in the pot and boiled a bowl of porridge with some rice.

He noticed that Lin Daman had been looking a bit worse for wear lately, having lost weight. His once fiery temper had also dulled, no longer showing the same spirit he had when dealing with Song Guafu and Song Changshun.

Since the day of the divorce, Lin Daman had taken his two children back to his maternal home, thinking that his parents and brothers would support him. However, they directly kicked him and the kids out as soon as they heard about the divorce.

They even berated him for being shameful, telling him to quickly return and seek forgiveness from the Song family, forbidding any more nonsense!

Lin Daman had not anticipated such a reaction from his parents. After all, it was Song Changshun who had made the mistake, yet now he was being blamed. With his two kids in tow, he felt heartbroken, shedding tears.

Having nowhere to stay, the three of them had been living in a dilapidated old temple in the village for the past few days. They would buy a little bean and millet to make porridge, barely filling their stomachs.

Sometimes Lin Daman even questioned himself; had he really made a mistake? If he hadn’t divorced, the kids would at least have a place to stay. Now they had to roam around, facing the wind and rain, with barely a warm meal to eat.

When Lu Yao handed him the steaming millet porridge, Lin Daman finally couldn’t hold back his tears and began to sob.

“What troubles are you facing? Feel free to speak about it; if I can help, I will certainly do my best.”

Lin Daman wiped his tears. “They… all think I’m shameful… but it wasn’t me who cheated… I wasn’t the one who made a mistake in our marriage.”

“The heart of a parent is so cruel. I can understand my own feelings, but they even disregard Xiaochun and Xiaodong… How can they heartlessly push them away? I see them starving, crying out for food.” Lin Daman cried, gasping for breath as if he were trying to pour out all his grievances.

Lu Yao hadn’t expected Lin Daman to encounter such difficulties.

“Where are the two kids now?”

“They’re at the old temple in our village. I’ll head back soon. Can I take the tofu with me? They haven’t eaten anything either.”

After saying that, Lin Daman felt a bit embarrassed, lowering his head and falling silent. When someone loses their money, they also lose their dignity. For the sake of food, he had to set aside his pride.

Lu Yao furrowed his brow and thought for a while. “Daman, do you want to earn some money to support your family?”

“What?”

“How about helping me make tofu?”

Lu Yao was not speaking on a whim; he had been thinking about this for a long time. The tofu business could be profitable, but it would be impossible for just him and Zhao Beichuan to handle it alone. There were still fields and various chores at home that required their attention, so they couldn’t devote all their energy to making tofu.

Zhao Xiaonian and Zhao Xiaodou were too young, and it would take several more years for them to grow up.

He was not at ease hiring others; making tofu was not difficult, and anyone could learn it in a few days. Once more people learned how to sell it, the price would naturally drop.

Right now, Lin Daman was the most suitable person. He had no house and no land, and after the divorce, he was betrayed by his family, all while taking care of two young children.

As long as Lu Yao provided him with a place to stay and food, he would definitely work hard to help establish the tofu business. Even if he had ambitions to start his own venture, he had no capital to do so.

“Can it really work?” Lin Daman, too excited to eat, grabbed Lu Yao’s hand.

“I need to discuss this with Dachuan first. Come back tomorrow, and I’ll give you a definite answer, regardless of whether it works out or not.”

“Ah! If it works out… I’ll remember your kindness!”

As he was leaving, Lu Yao packed up the remaining tofu for him and ladled out a bowl of millet, telling him to use the space to cook some porridge for the children.