Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 3

The scorching heat was unbearable, with the blazing sun hanging high in the sky, making it difficult for people to open their eyes.

 

A group of shirtless men were digging a ditch by the roadside. Most of them were local villagers doing corvée labor, while a few were displaced people driven to work here. They worked from early morning until noon, then rested for an hour before resuming work until the late afternoon.

 

These were considered good times. The new emperor, known for his benevolence, provided them with three meals a day and ten cash coins, which, though not much, was still some extra income.

 

Elderly people said that under the previous dynasty, corvée laborers received no pay and had to prepare their own rations, often starving if they had nothing to eat, as the government did not care about the people’s survival.

 

The tools for digging ditches were also issued by the government. These tools could not be damaged, and at the end of each day, they had to be returned for redistribution the next morning.

 

A loud gong sounded, and everyone dropped their tools and ran to the old locust tree nearby, marking the lunch break.

 

“Dachuan, why aren’t you going to get your food? Aren’t you hungry?” asked Zhao Guang, the husband of Old Zhao from across the street.

 

“Uncle, you go ahead. I’ll eat later,” Dachuan replied.

 

“Then make sure you hurry. If you’re late, there might not be any food left,” Zhao Guang said, hurrying towards the locust tree.

 

Once everyone had left, Zhao Beichuan brushed the dirt off his hands, grabbed a shovel, and headed towards the nearby river.

 

Yesterday, while washing his face, he had noticed fish in the river, and since he used to catch fish regularly, he decided to try his luck.

 

Testing the water temperature along the riverbank, he found it warm from the sun. Removing his clothes and stepping onto the sandy stones, he waded into the river. The water had subtle undercurrents, which could easily pull someone in if they weren’t careful.

 

Zhao Beichuan didn’t swim too far; he quickly dove in at the riverbank and soon surfaced with a carp in hand.

 

The fish was a crucian carp, known for its tender meat but numerous small bones. While wealthy families often avoided it, it was still a rare treat for ordinary people.

 

He skewered the fish on a reed, took a deep breath, and dived again. After a short while, he surfaced with a big carp in hand!

 

The large fish thrashed its tail, creating splashes of water. Zhao Beichuan quickly skewered it as well and continued fishing.

 

After catching seven or eight fish, he stopped, threw the fish onto the bank, and climbed out using some dry wood.

 

Still damp, he took some time to dry himself by the riverbank. Water dripped from his hair and streamed down his tanned body, resembling a small fish that swam into the muscles and disappeared.

 

When he was sufficiently dry, Zhao Beichuan wiped his face and put on his pants, feeling pleased as he weighed the fish in his hand.

 

Instead of returning directly to the old locust tree, he carried the fish to where the officials were resting.

 

To the east, there was a thatched hut where five overseers were drinking wine. Seeing Zhao Beichuan approach, they all stood up and scolded him, “What are you doing here?”

 

“I was bathing in the river and happened to catch a few fish. I thought I’d let you all try them,” Zhao Beichuan explained.

 

The officials’ eyes lit up, and they gathered around, asking, “Where did you catch these fish?”

 

“These fish are quite sizable.”

 

“Is the river deep? Are there many fish?”

 

“There aren’t many fish. The river looks flat, but there are hidden currents below. I almost got swept away, so I didn’t dare stay long,” Zhao Beichuan said, closing off any further questions. He didn’t want to be asked to catch fish for them regularly.

 

Hearing that the fish were hard to catch, the officials lost interest. The head official looked at Zhao Beichuan and asked, “Did you bring us these fish with some request in mind?”

 

“Well, I recently married and came out to do corvée labor without having time to return home. I want to borrow some money to buy a new cooking pot,” Zhao Beichuan said directly.

 

The officials laughed, “So you miss your wife already.”

 

Zhao Beichuan blushed and scratched his head, “My home is about thirty miles away in Wanjiao Village. I was thinking of going back during our rest days and returning the same day.”

 

Zhao Beichuan was actually worried about his younger siblings. They were still young, and he was new to corvée labor. He was concerned they might suffer in his absence.

 

Laborers were allowed one rest day every ten days, but they couldn’t wander far; they could only buy things nearby and rest.

 

Zhao Beichuan’s village was not far, so he should be able to make the trip easily.

 

The official grunted and took the fish, “Go and come back quickly. If you’re late, don’t blame me for being harsh.”

 

Leaving corvée labor without permission was a serious offense, punishable by thirty lashes, which would leave one severely injured if not dead.

 

“Thank you, sir. I will definitely return on time!” Zhao Beichuan promised.

 

When Zhao Beichuan returned to the old locust tree, everyone had already finished eating and was resting in the shade. Only a few empty wooden buckets remained.

 

“Where did you go? Your clothes are all wet!” Zhao Guang asked.

 

“I went for a bath in the river,” Zhao Beichuan replied.

 

Zhao Guang didn’t think much of it, “You missed lunch. Can you manage without eating?”

 

“I’m fine,” Zhao Beichuan said.

 

Zhao Guang envied him, noting how robust Zhao Beichuan was compared to other men from the village. Despite the same food, Zhao Beichuan was taller and stronger. A few years ago, when Zhao Guang’s father had just died, some local bullies tried to take advantage of the Zhao family. At just thirteen, Zhao Beichuan stood his ground, saying, “If anyone dares to take our land, I will fight them!”

 

Sure enough, someone came to cause trouble. Zhao Beichuan defeated him single-handedly and gave him a beating that could have been fatal had not the onlookers intervened. Even then, the bully was severely injured, with one arm broken.

 

Zhao Beichuan had warned, “If anyone tries to harm my siblings, I will kill them!” His youthful face still had a hint of innocence, but his dark eyes were cold and fierce, like a wild beast in the mountains, making people fear him.

 

Since then, no one dared to provoke him, and Zhao Beichuan’s fearsome reputation spread throughout the village.

 

After resting for half an hour, the gong sounded again, signaling everyone to resume their work.

 

*

 

Outside the Lu family gate, Lu Yao hesitated about how to call for attention.

 

When he woke up this morning, he had returned to Lu family village, planning to borrow some money to buy a cooking pot. He was nervous about being recognized by his original family, so he was quite apprehensive.

 

Before he could say anything, someone came out of the courtyard—it was Lu Lin, the original owner’s second brother.

 

Lu Lin had a disability in one leg and was exempt from labor.

 

“Third Brother, why are you back?” Lu Lin was startled to see him, thinking he had returned without permission. After all, on the day of his marriage, he had refused to get into the wedding sedan, almost missing the time.

 

“Mother… is she at home?” Lu Yao asked tentatively.

 

“She’s home. Come in.”

 

Once inside the courtyard, Lu Yao took a discreet look around. The Lu family home was much larger than the Zhao family’s. The spacious yard had four rooms and two storerooms.

 

In his memory, he and the fourth and fifth brothers had shared one room, while their parents lived in the central room. The second brother lived with his wife and children in the western room, and the remaining room was the kitchen.

 

“Mother, Third Brother is back,” Lu Lin called out, and soon, Old Lady Lu came out of the house.

 

She was a thin old lady dressed in a dark blue cloth gown, with her gray hair neatly combed and pinned up with a hollow silver hairpin.

 

Seeing Lu Yao, Old Lady Lu’s face fell. “A married daughter is like spilled water. Go back and live your life properly, and stop coming back to your natal home.”

 

“Mother, I need to borrow some money,” Lu Yao said straightforwardly.

 

“Borrow money? What for?”

 

“I broke the Zhao family’s cooking pot and need money to buy a new one. I’ll return it as soon as my husband comes back from his corvée labor.”

 

Old Lady Lu frowned and spat, “When I asked you to cook, you always found excuses to avoid it. Now, on your very first day, you break the pot. If word gets out, people will laugh their heads off!”

 

Lu Yao, unfazed, took her rebuke as if she was scolding the original body. “Yes, yes, Mother, you’re right. I know I was wrong and will change in the future.”

 

Old Lady Lu was taken aback. Third Brother was always stubborn, and this was the first time he admitted fault. Her expression softened.

 

“Why buy a new pot? We still have an old one at home. I’ll have your second brother bring it over for you.”

 

Lu Yao thought for a moment and agreed, “As long as I can cook, it’s fine. Thank you, Mother.”

 

“Humph.” Despite being upset, Old Lady Lu didn’t truly hold a grudge against her son. She had heard rumors that he had committed suicide after marrying, which had kept her up all night worrying. She was just about to visit him, but unexpectedly, he had come on his own.

 

“Come inside. Have some food before you head back.”

 

Lu Yao followed the old lady into the house. The Lu family’s home was noticeably cleaner than the Zhao family’s. Considering that a single man was managing to support two children on his own, it was already quite an achievement. Expecting him to keep the house spotless was indeed asking too much.

 

Old Lady Lu was also inspecting her son. Seeing the marks around his neck, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. She reached out and gave him a hard punch.

 

“Ah!” Lu Yao cried out in pain.

 

“You’ve really outdone yourself, haven’t you? You’ve learned to hang yourself now!”

 

Lu Yao touched his neck, feeling somewhat awkward. He thought to himself that he wouldn’t have made it here if he hadn’t hung himself.

 

“What could that flat-faced toad possibly have that’s worth you seeking death over?”

 

The “flat-faced toad” referred to a scholar in town named Xu Dengke, who had a wide mouth and buck teeth, making him somewhat resemble a toad.

 

Lu Yao also wanted to ask what the original owner saw in him, but he didn’t dare voice it, fearing it might raise suspicions with his mother.

 

Imitating the original’s tone, he said, “Brother Xu does have his merits…”

 

Old Lady Lu couldn’t hold back and punched him again, “You fool! Now that you’re married, you’re never to associate with that Xu again!”

 

“I understand.”

 

The old lady, still furious, pointed at Lu Yao and scolded him harshly. “It’s because I spoiled you that you became lazy and useless. You’re incapable of hard work and don’t even know how to manage your own affairs. You still have two unmarried brothers. If you tarnish their reputation, I’ll disown you!”

 

When the original owner was young, he had caught a severe cold, which was life-threatening in these times of scarcity. The old lady had cared for him day and night for a month to save his life, but his body remained weak and frequently fell ill. Since then, the family had been accommodating him. Unfortunately, after more than ten years of indulgence, he had not improved but had developed numerous bad habits.

 

Lu Yao, knowing he was occupying someone else’s body, didn’t dare to argue and silently accepted the scolding.

 

Once the old lady had finished scolding, he didn’t dare stay for a meal. He quickly followed his second brother to collect the old cooking pot and returned home to install it.