Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 48

Early the next morning, Lu Yao opened his eyes and stared at the unfamiliar room for a while before remembering they had moved to town. He quickly got up and dressed; there was still a lot to do today.

 

He started the fire first, as the room was too cold. Shivering, Lu Yao climbed off the kang.

 

After cleaning the pot, he filled it with water to heat. Using a ladle, he washed his face at the doorway, feeling the inconvenience of having no basin at home. Once he finished washing, he put millet into the pot to cook porridge for breakfast.

 

Outside, Zhao Beichuan was feeding the mule. The snow in the courtyard had been completely cleared, and the firewood delivered by Brother Liu had been neatly stacked by the wall—this time, far from the house.

 

After breakfast, Lu Yao said, “We need to go to Lu Family Village today. My mother doesn’t know we’ve moved yet, and we don’t want her worrying when she finds out.”

 

“Alright. I also planned to go back and take down the old fence to bring back as firewood.”

 

After eating, they locked the front door and climbed onto the mule cart to head back. It was the second day of the Lunar New Year, and a few shops in town had already opened.

 

When they passed the grain store, they saw Shopkeeper Qiu standing at the door. Lu Yao waved and greeted him, “Shopkeeper Qiu, may you prosper all year round!”

 

“Brother Zhao, Little Lu, what brings you out so early?”

 

Zhao Beichuan drove the cart closer and said, “We’ve rented a shop in Xia Sanli and plan to sell tofu in a few days.”

 

“Oh, then I must come and support your business!”

 

After a brief chat, the mule cart continued on its way. As they neared Lu Family Village, they encountered Lu Yun and Wang Youtian, who were also returning to visit relatives.

 

The two families traveled together to the Lu family home. As soon as the mule cart stopped at the gate, Lu Lin hurriedly came out to open it.

 

“You’re all back! Come in quickly!”

 

One by one, the carts entered the yard. Father Lu and Mother Lu also came out to greet them, unaware of the fire at Zhao’s house.

 

Mother Lu cheerfully pulled her two sons inside. “We were looking forward to you coming back yesterday! Your sister-in-law prepared a whole table of dishes. Go warm yourselves on the kang, and we’ll eat soon.”

 

“Alright.” Lu Yao rubbed his hands and climbed onto the kang.

 

Xiaonian and Xiaodou were led to the west room by Lu Miao, who brought out a bunch of sugar gourds. Selling tofu this year had brought in good money, and their sister-in-law had set aside 100 coins to buy treats for the children.

 

In the main room, Lu Yao sat at the edge of the kang, removing his shoes. All his cotton hats and gloves had been burned in the fire, and his hands and feet were freezing after the journey.

 

Mother Lu brought over two bowls of ginger sugar water. “Drink this while it’s hot to warm yourselves up.”

 

Hu Chunrong came in with Little Shitou in her arms. “Come greet your third and fourth uncles for the new year.”

 

The little boy knelt on the kang and kowtowed twice. “Happy New Year, Third Uncle! Happy New Year, Fourth Uncle!”

 

“Good, good.” Lu Yao picked him up and handed him a string of coins. Lu Yun also gave him prepared lucky money.

 

“Don’t take their money. Return it to them,” Hu Chunrong said, trying to pry the coins from her son’s hands.

 

Little Shitou clung tightly to the money, crying when she tried to take it away.

 

Mother Lu stopped her. “Let him keep it. It’s for him to play with.”

 

Hu Chunrong sighed and let go. She patted Little Shitou on the back and sent him to the west room to play with his fifth uncle.

 

Mother Lu said, “Why don’t you stay the night and leave tomorrow? There’s plenty of room here.”

 

Lu Yao hesitated. “I’m afraid we can’t. We still need to go back and chop firewood.”

 

Mother Lu assumed they needed extra wood for making tofu. “There’s plenty behind the house. Take a cartload with you.”

 

Lu Yao sighed. “Mother, we’ve moved to town.”

 

“What?” Mother Lu, Lu Yun, and Hu Chunrong exclaimed in unison.

 

“When did you move? Why didn’t you tell us earlier? Your second brother and I could have helped!”

 

“We moved yesterday. We had no choice. On New Year’s Eve, our house was set on fire.”

 

“Oh no!” The group gasped.

 

Mother Lu was alarmed. “What happened? Was the house badly damaged?”

 

“It wasn’t just damaged—it was completely burned down, leaving only four walls.”

 

“Who on earth did this? Did you report it to the authorities?”

 

“We did. The culprit has been caught. It was a widower from our village. He burned our house out of jealousy because his life wasn’t going well.”

 

Mother Lu was furious. “What nonsense! Just because his life is miserable doesn’t mean he can burn someone else’s house! So, what happens now? Are you just going to let it go?”

 

Lu Yao sighed. “He not only burned our house but also poisoned his family and lost his sanity. There’s nothing we can do but accept it as bad luck.”

 

The family fell silent for a moment. Hu Chunrong finally asked, “Where are you renting now? Do you need anything?”

 

“Yes, do you have enough food? Do you have bedding? If not, take some with you before you leave,” Mother Lu added.

 

“We have enough bedding; we managed to save it from the fire. We also brought out plenty of grain. What we lack are smaller household items, but we can buy those in a few days when the shops open.”

 

“Such a big disaster…” Mother Lu held his hand, her eyes red. That house was newly built with the best materials, meant to last for generations.

 

Lu Yao felt a pang of sadness too, but he didn’t want to dampen the festive mood.

 

Forcing a smile, he said, “It’s fine. We rented a shop in town and will start selling tofu after the New Year. We might even earn more than before!”

 

Lu Yun also tried to comfort their mother. “No one was hurt, which is the most important thing. Houses can always be rebuilt. Who knows? This might turn out to be a blessing in disguise. If not for the fire, they wouldn’t have moved to town.”

 

Hu Chunrong chimed in, “Exactly! Tofu sells so well, and with Lu Yao’s resourcefulness, they’ll surely make a fortune in town!”

 

Mother Lu finally managed to hold back her tears. “Alright, let’s not dwell on it. I’ll go check on the dishes and see if they’re ready. Let’s eat quickly. You probably have a lot to do after just moving.”

 

“Okay,” Lu Yao and Lu Yun replied, getting up to help set the table.

 

Meanwhile, Zhao Beichuan, Lu Lin, Father Lu, and the brothers-in-law were in the courtyard looking at the mule.

 

Lu Lin was considering buying a mule. His bad leg made it inconvenient to push a cart for selling tofu. Having saved some money this year, he could afford a mule cart.

 

“Second Brother, when buying a mule, start by looking at its neck. My father always said that mules with long necks and horses with long tails are good animals—strong and enduring. If you see one, don’t hesitate to buy it,” said Wang Youtian.

 

“Next, check the legs and coat. As the saying goes: look at the four legs first, then the coat. Look at Dahua’s glossy coat—it’s clear she’s been well-fed.” He stroked Dahua’s head.

 

The mule recognized him, snorting and nudging his hand.

 

“And make sure to buy a young mule. They can’t reproduce, so an older one will lose strength in a few years, wasting your money.”

 

Lu Guangsheng laughed. “You really know your stuff! You explain it so clearly.”

 

Wang Youtian blushed and scratched his head. “I just learned this from my father. I don’t know much.”

 

Lu Lin patted his shoulder. “That’s already impressive. I’ll go to town in the spring to see if I can find a suitable mule.”

 

“It’s a pity we sold all our young mules this year. Otherwise, I could’ve brought one over for you to use.”

 

“There’s no such thing as free use. It’s not a cat or dog.”

 

In the house, the food was almost ready. Lu Yun came out to call them in for the meal.

 

The men washed their hands and went inside. During lunch, Lu Guangsheng, unaware of the fire, kept urging Zhao Beichuan to drink more wine.

 

Zhao Beichuan was caught in an awkward position, unsure whether to drink or decline.

 

Mother Lu intervened, saying, “Dachuan, they have other things to do today. Don’t let them waste time drinking!”

 

“What on earth must be done during the New Year? Listen to your father, finish the drink, and deal with it tomorrow!”

 

“Lu Guangsheng, are you looking for trouble?”

 

Father Lu was suddenly yelled at by his wife, so startled that he almost dropped his bowl, spilling half of his rice wine.

 

Lu Yao quickly held his mother back. “It’s fine. If Father wants to drink, let him have a little. It won’t delay anything.”

 

Mother Lu shook her arm free and scolded, “All you care about is drinking! Do you even know their house was burned down?”

 

“What?” This time, Lu Guangsheng was genuinely stunned. No wonder Zhao Beichuan had been silent and preoccupied since stepping into the yard.

 

“Da Chuan, what happened?”

 

Zhao Beichuan coughed lightly and briefly explained the situation.

 

“This is a big deal! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

 

“I planned to tell you after dinner…”

 

Father Lu was so worried he couldn’t even eat. “Then I’ll go to the town with you later to help out.”

 

Lu Lin and Wang Youtian added, “Yes, let’s all go together later.”

 

“Alright, thank you, Father, Second Brother, and Brother-in-law.”

 

“We’re family! Don’t mention it!”

 

Warmth filled Zhao Beichuan’s heart. For the first time, he felt the power of kinship. During his most challenging times, his relatives stood firmly behind him, pushing and supporting him forward.

 

Everyone quickly finished their meal. The two children stayed at Lu’s house while the others returned to Wangou Village by mule cart to dismantle everything they could from their yard—fences, chicken coops, and livestock sheds—loading it all onto the carts to take back.

 

When their neighbor, Sister-in-law Tian, saw them returning, she hurried out. “Lu Yao, what are you doing? Giving up on the fences?”

 

“We’re moving to the town. These fences will be used as firewood.”

 

“What? Moving…” Sister-in-law Tian had thought they were just staying at the Lu family for a while, planning to rebuild when the weather got warmer.

 

“Yes, we’ve rented a tofu shop in Xia Sanli. Come visit when you’re in town.”

 

“Alright.” Sister-in-law Tian seemed reluctant to see them go. After all, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan were honest and kind, and living next to them had brought her many benefits.

 

Within a short time, the four men dismantled all the fences in the yard. The wood, once chopped, would provide enough firewood for the entire winter.

 

Before they left, Sister-in-law Tian brought out a few eggs in a wicker basket and handed them to Lu Yao.

 

“Take these. Over the years, I’ve benefited a lot from you. This is all I can offer; let the kids have them.”

 

Unable to refuse, Lu Yao accepted them gratefully. Despite her stinginess and tendency to take advantage, she had indeed helped them many times.

 

They finished clearing out most of the yard. The gates were even taken down by Zhao Beichuan, who planned to repurpose the planks for making windows. The once-cozy courtyard was now reduced to ruins, a sight that left a sour feeling in their hearts.

 

Two mule carts loaded with wood made their way to town. After more than an hour, they arrived at the alley in Xia Sanli.

 

Lu Yao quickly jumped down and ran to their new house’s gate. “This way!”

 

Wang Youtian slowed the reins and waited for him to open the gate before driving the cart inside.

 

The new yard was small; only one cart could enter at a time. They had to unload one before bringing the other in.

 

After unloading, everyone got busy. Some repaired windows, others nailed doors, and Wang Youtian, who wasn’t skilled with tools, chopped firewood.

 

Father Lu checked the roof of the west room. “The rafters are damaged and need replacing. We’ll also need tiles. If you’re not in a hurry, I’ll come back in the spring to fix it.”

 

“No rush. We’ll stay in the east room. This room will just store food and supplies.” Winter rains weren’t an issue; they could cover the food sacks to keep them dry.

 

“How much is the rent for this place?”

 

“Two strings of coins a year.”

 

“That’s not bad.” Father Lu, familiar with the town’s housing prices, knew that a slightly better house would cost at least five strings annually. Though old, this house wasn’t worse than those pricier ones after a bit of fixing.

 

Lu Yao said, “I plan to live here for a few years. Once we save enough, we’ll buy our own house.”

 

“Good plan. Da Chuan doesn’t have elders to guide him. It’s great that you can take charge. Discuss things together. He’s a thoughtful man.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

After checking the house, Father Lu started repairing the stove. As a mason, this was his specialty. Using some old bricks from the yard and some mud, he quickly fixed it.

 

Zhao Beichuan also finished repairing the east room’s windows, so they no longer needed quilts to block the wind.

 

Lu Lin replaced the wooden door with planks from the fences. Though not aesthetically pleasing, it was sturdier than before.

 

By the time they finished, the sun was setting. Lu Yao asked Zhao Beichuan to drive them back, but Lu Lin refused. “No need to send us. Father and I will ride back with Youtian. We’ll come back tomorrow with Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou.”

 

“Alright, take it slow.”

 

“Third Brother, Sister-in-law, go back inside. No need to see us off,” said Wang Youtian. But Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan still walked them to the alley entrance before returning.

 

Back home, it was time for dinner. Lu Yao lit the stove, cleaned the pot, and cooked millet porridge.

 

Zhao Beichuan bolted the gate, fed the animals, and then came inside. “Tomorrow, I’ll set up a shed for the animals. I don’t want Da Hua to catch a cold.”

 

“Alright, come warm up.” Lu Yao shifted to give him space by the stove.

 

Sitting side by side, their arms and feet touching, a sense of peace enveloped them.

 

Lu Yao leaned his head on Zhao Beichuan’s shoulder. “When it gets warmer, let’s clear the backyard and plant vegetables. Then we won’t worry about food.”

 

“I’ll build a pigsty too. We can use the manure to fertilize the land.”

 

Lu Yao wrinkled his nose. “You’ll handle the manure!”

 

“Alright.”

 

“Chicken and mule manure, too.”

 

“Sure. Even yours.”

 

“Ew! Gross!” Lu Yao shuddered. This was not a pleasant topic.

 

Zhao Beichuan laughed heartily, ruffling Lu Yao’s hair. How could he be so amusing?

 

After dinner, the sky was dark.

 

Without oil lamps, many things were inconvenient—except for certain activities.

 

With the kids at their grandparents’, once they were undressed and under the quilt, Zhao Beichuan pulled Lu Yao into his arms, kissing him passionately.

 

Without an audience, Lu Yao grew bolder, whispering suggestive words, alternately calling him “husband” and “father,” driving Zhao Beichuan wild with desire. They tangled on the bed and floor until midnight.

 

By the end, Lu Yao couldn’t tell if he felt pain or pleasure, holding tightly to Zhao Beichuan’s neck as tears streamed down his face.

 

Zhao Beichuan wasn’t much better off. That house had been his pride, built with his own hands, now reduced to ashes.

 

Anger and sorrow transformed into raw energy as he held the person beneath him tightly, their emotions culminating in an explosive release.