Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 71

Chapter 71

 

The eldest son of the Lu family passed away at the age of seventeen, and ten years have already gone by in a flash.

 

The cause of death was a sudden illness. Based on Madam Lu’s description, Lu Yao suspected it was heart disease.

 

However, the people back then didn’t understand these things and always thought it was caused by catching a chill while sleeping in a cowshed as a child.

 

“There’s another strange story. In the eastern part of our village, there used to be a family. The man was named Lu Changfeng, and he had taken a husband whose name I can’t remember. Anyway, the two of them were doing pretty well.”

 

“His husband died in childbirth, leaving Lu Changfeng alone to raise the baby. As a man, how could he possibly know how to care for a newborn? Back then, some villagers tried to arrange another marriage for him so someone could look after the child while he worked.”

 

“Not long after, Lu Changfeng married another husband. On the surface, this man seemed kind, but in truth, he was cruel to the core. He didn’t want to take care of the child from the previous husband, so he secretly mistreated the baby when Lu Changfeng wasn’t home.”

 

“That poor little baby couldn’t speak or complain, only wailing constantly. Lu Changfeng didn’t think much of it and just assumed the child was difficult to raise after losing its mother.”

 

Having just given birth herself, Lu Yun was moved to tears. “And then? Did that wicked man ever face consequences?”

 

“Let me finish. The baby kept crying and was on the brink of death. Then, one night, Lu Changfeng had a dream. He dreamt that his late husband returned, holding the baby, crying, and scolding him. The husband said, ‘I gave my life to bring you this child, and you’re letting it be tormented like this?’ As he spoke, he picked up the baby and was about to leave.”

 

“In the dream, Lu Changfeng was frantic, trying to stop them, and in his panic, he woke up. He saw his new husband strangling the baby, whose face had already turned blue and purple.”

 

“Heavens…” The group gasped in unison.

 

“Lu Changfeng was furious. He snatched the baby away and beat the man on the spot. The next day, he divorced him.”

 

Lu Yun, still indignant, said, “Letting him off with just a divorce is too lenient!”

 

Madam Lu sighed. “Well, once the story got out, the man’s reputation was ruined. His family wouldn’t take him back and sent him to a nunnery instead.”

 

Lu Yao asked, “Did the baby survive?”

 

“Yes, and he’s even older than you lot now.”

 

The three of them collectively sighed in relief. It was good that the child survived.

 

Thinking about the nunnery reminded Lu Yao of Song Guafu. “Remember our house that was burned down? The person who set the fire had also been to the nunnery.”

 

“What happened?” Madam Lu asked curiously.

 

“That man was a widower. Apparently, he had his eye on Beichuan before our marriage. When I married him, the widower felt upset, started spreading rumors about me in the village, and even tried to pay Scholar Xu to tarnish my reputation publicly.”

 

Lu Miao couldn’t help but spit in disgust. “What a shameless person!”

 

“It’s a funny coincidence. This matter was overheard by Xiaonian and the others. Not only did Song Guafu fancy Beichuan, but he was also secretly involved with his own brother-in-law. Later, I used some tricks to expose their affair, and Song Guafu’s mother-in-law sent him to the nunnery.”

 

“So how did he end up getting out?”

 

“Do you remember Lin Daman?”

 

Madam Lu nodded. “Isn’t he the husband who sold tofu with you?”

 

“He was Song Guafu’s sister-in-law and the one who caught him in the act. Afterward, Lin Daman and his husband divorced. He left with two kids and no property. His family wouldn’t take him back either and forced him to apologize. He ended up living in an abandoned temple with his children.”

 

“I felt sorry for him and thought I should take responsibility since the whole thing started because of me, so I took him in. The Song family, thinking their second son had lost his wife and their eldest son’s wife was involved in a scandal, simply brought Song Guafu back to live with them. Then that incident happened.”

 

“Ah…”

 

It was getting late, and Madam Lu didn’t want them staying up any longer. There was still much to do tomorrow.

 

By the third day after Lu Father’s passing, everyone’s grief had eased slightly. At least they weren’t brought to tears at every mention of him.

 

Lu Lin invited some respected elders from the village to choose a burial site for his father.

 

According to tradition, Lu Guangsheng should have been buried with his parents. However, the families had been estranged for years after the division of the household. Burying him there now might cause objections.

 

Some villagers went to mediate, and by the afternoon, Lu Guangxing, Lu Guangsheng’s younger brother, arrived. He was fifty-four, just two years younger, and bore a seven- or eight-tenths resemblance to his brother. At first glance, they could easily be mistaken for one another.

 

As soon as he arrived, his eyes turned red. The last time the brothers spoke was at their mother’s funeral over a decade ago.

 

Back then, they had a heated argument during the funeral, which escalated into a physical altercation. After that, their families severed ties, and the two brothers became like enemies. They never imagined their next meeting would be under such circumstances.

 

Madam Lu stayed in her room, refusing to meet him. It took much persuasion before she came out, and when the siblings-in-law finally met, they both burst into tears.

 

“My dear sister-in-law, you and my brother resented me, didn’t you? You didn’t even tell me when he passed…”

 

Madam Lu held his arm, sobbing too much to speak. At this moment, all the grudges and grievances dissipated with time and the passing of their loved one.

 

In the end, Lu Guangsheng’s grave was chosen to be behind his father’s, and Lu Hai’s grave was also moved there.

 

On the fourth day, they began making paper effigies—paper oxen, horses, mountains of gold and silver, and other items.

 

In the past, such customs weren’t common in the village. When elders passed away, families would simply buy a coffin and bury them. Those too poor for a coffin would wrap the deceased in a mat, and that was that.

 

But as life improved over the years, these customs started becoming popular.

 

Whether such practices were meaningful or not, the Lu family didn’t want to fall behind. They ensured everything possible was prepared for the patriarch.

 

They even hired specialists from the town to make the paper effigies, paying 100 wen per day. Bargaining was out of the question. By the time everything was completed for the funeral, the labor alone cost 300 wen.

 

Madam Lu thought the price was steep. A funeral like this could cost dozens of strings of cash. How would they manage their household after spending so much?

 

Lu Yao wasn’t concerned about the expense, only about his own peace of mind. He felt there was nothing else he could do for his father but to ensure the funeral was as grand as possible.

 

Time quickly passed, and soon it was October 20, the seventh day after Lu Guangsheng’s death.

 

That morning, the sky was overcast, with clouds as heavy and dark as ink.

 

The funeral ceremony was led by an elder from the village. As the time approached, he called out, “Children and grandchildren, come bid your final farewell!”

 

Lu Guangsheng’s four sons, along with his grandson Lu Shitou, donned mourning clothes and knelt together, kowtowing three times in unison.

 

Little Shitou, curious, glanced at his father and uncles, only to be pressed down by Lu Lin to perform the kowtow.

 

“Daughters-in-law and sons-in-law, come pay your respects!”

 

Hu Chunrong, Zhao Beichuan, and Wang Youtian knelt and kowtowed on the mat.

 

Next came the nephews, nieces, and younger generations, all wearing white sashes around their waists, who also came to pay their respects.

 

Lu Guangsheng had been well-liked during his lifetime. Even the younger generation in the village willingly wore mourning attire for him.

 

At precisely 9:45 AM, the funeral host loudly announced, “Lift the coffin!”

 

Eight men carried the coffin out of the house.

 

Crying erupted all around as white paper flowers and funeral money fluttered in the air, carried away by the wind into the vast sky.

 

After the burial, the family held a feast to thank those who helped with the funeral. They served fifteen tables of dishes, each with meat—a display of generosity unmatched in the village. Everyone praised the Lu family’s lavish hospitality as they ate to their heart’s content.

 

By the afternoon, Madam Lu urged Lu Yao and Lu Yun to return home. One had a shop to tend to, and the other had young children waiting at home. They couldn’t stay away forever.

 

Lu Lin sat down with the two families to calculate the expenses, intending to return the money spent on the coffin and the purchase of incense and white cloth. However, Lu Yao and Lu Yun both refused.

 

Lu Yao said, “Second Brother, aren’t we also Father’s children? Or do you not see us as brothers at all? Why should these expenses only be borne by you and not by us?”

 

Lu Lin responded anxiously, “But you’ve already spent too much. You covered the cost of the banquet, how can I let you also pay for the coffin?”

 

“If you have more, you contribute more; if you have less, you give less. Everyone is just acting on their own sense of duty. Family doesn’t need to worry about these things.”

 

In the end, Lu Lin sighed and nodded, packing up the leftovers from the banquet to load onto their cart. Lu Yun also packed plenty of food, and the two families left one after the other.

 

Lu Miao didn’t leave. With the weather cold and the shop not busy, he stayed home to keep their mother company for a while. He would return later for the third-seven-day memorial.

 

Lu Yao sat in the mule cart, tidying Xiao Nian’s collar. “Are you cold?”

 

Xiao Nian shook her head and leaned against him. “Sister-in-law, I miss home.”

 

“I miss home too…”

 

Zhao Beichuan snapped the whip, and Dahua trotted forward, heading back toward the town.

 

Time flew, and the end of the year arrived. This marked the second New Year since Lu Yao had come to this world.

 

The first year had been overshadowed by the fire that burned their house, and the second year was dampened by the passing of his father. Nonetheless, Lu Yao started preparing early.

 

On the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, after finishing the last big market of the year, the shop closed, giving everyone a break after a busy year.

 

He paid Lu Miao one tael as wages and gave Second Sister-in-law Liu her month’s pay, even though she hadn’t worked the full month.

 

With the shop closed, Lu Yao finally had some time to relax. He thoroughly cleaned the house from inside out and repaired any broken doors or windows. Zhao Beichuan took Dahua to have her hooves trimmed and new horseshoes nailed.

 

At home, the two pigs had grown big enough. One was sold at the market by Zhao Beichuan, and the other was reserved to be slaughtered for the New Year.

 

When Xiao Nian heard about the pig slaughter, she cried in secret. The little girl had grown attached to the pigs she often fed, even naming them: the bigger one was called Banban, and the smaller one was Zhuzhu.

 

The pig that was sold wasn’t slaughtered but taken whole to the market. Selling it whole fetched a slightly lower price at forty wen per catty, but everything from the bones to the offal could be sold. If they had slaughtered it themselves, much of it would have been left over.

 

The family couldn’t possibly eat an entire pig, and Lu Yao was concerned that so much pork and offal wouldn’t stay fresh for long.

 

The pig they kept was the larger Banban, weighing over a hundred catties, though it was still smaller than the wild boar Zhao Beichuan had hunted last year, which had weighed over two hundred catties.

 

That evening, Lu Yao stewed a pot of braised pork. Although Xiao Nian had cried sadly during the pig’s slaughter, she enjoyed the meat more than anyone else.

 

Zhao Beichuan asked her, “Does Banban taste good?”(bro wtf)

 

Xiao Nian nodded with red-rimmed eyes, her smile making Lu Yao laugh until his stomach hurt.

 

On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, it was time to steam rice cakes and paste up spring flowers.

 

Early in the morning, Zhao Beichuan came back carrying a small bag of glutinous rice.

 

“The two grain stores together only had half a dou, and this stuff is really expensive. This little bit cost 200 wen.”

 

Lu Yao took it and poured it into a clay basin. Since rice paddies were scarce in the north, the rice had to be transported all the way from the south by merchants, naturally driving up the price several times.

 

Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou, who had never tasted rice before, curiously gathered around him. “Sister-in-law, how do you eat this?”

 

“Don’t worry. Wait until I’ve made it, and you can see if it tastes good.”

 

“Okay!” The two children ran back to the house, one cutting spring flowers and the other studying.

 

Lu Yao didn’t know how to make rice cakes but did know how to make another kind of dessert: glutinous rice cakes.

 

First, he ground the glutinous rice into powder using a stone mill. With such a small amount, there was no need to trouble Dahua. Lu Yao used the small stone mill that his father had carved years ago.

 

Seeing the small stone mill reminded him of Lu Guangsheng. Back when the family was poor, they used this mill to make plenty of tofu, and traces of old bean residue still clung to it.

 

Sometimes, the loss of a loved one wasn’t a brief downpour but a lifelong drizzle.

 

After the glutinous rice flour was ground, it was mixed with water into a dough and steamed. Once it cooled, the dough was kneaded until smooth. Kneading glutinous rice dough was hard work, as it had to be kneaded until it was elastic to taste good. A bit of oil was needed on the hands to prevent the dough from sticking.

 

Seeing Zhao Beichuan idle, Lu Yao had him knead the dough while he prepared red bean paste for the filling.

 

The beans were sorted and steamed for over half an hour until they turned into soft red bean rice. Then, the red bean rice was wrapped in a cloth and pressed to remove excess water, turning it into a dense paste.

 

Lu Yao took out the white sugar gifted by Manager Xu, added two spoonfuls to the red bean paste, and mixed it thoroughly. He tasted it—it was no different from what he used to buy in supermarkets.

 

With his strength, Zhao Beichuan soon kneaded the dough until it was smooth.

 

Lu Yao divided the dough into evenly-sized portions, placed a dollop of red bean paste inside, and pressed it into a mold. A glutinous rice cake was ready.

 

The flower molds had been bought a few days ago from the carpenter’s shop for ten wen each—one featuring a “year after year of abundance” pattern, and the other, “prosperity in bloom.”

 

Finally, a fine layer of white sugar was sprinkled on top, completing the beautiful and delicious glutinous rice cakes!

 

“Xiao Nian, Xiao Dou, come and try!”

 

The two children ran over. Xiao Nian carefully lifted a rice cake from the cutting board, exclaiming in awe.

 

“So pretty…” The snowy white rice cake, dusted with sparkling sugar and adorned with floral designs, was truly irresistible.

 

“Quick, taste it and see if it’s good.”

 

Xiao Nian swallowed nervously and handed it to Xiao Dou. “You try it first.”

 

Xiao Dou took a bite, closed his eyes, and sighed dramatically, “Mmm~ This is divine!”

 

Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan burst into laughter. This little one had clearly picked up a flair for dramatics from his studies—it was too amusing.

 

The two children savored the rice cake bite by bite, finishing it in no time.

 

Lu Yao quickly made a few more. “Glutinous rice is hard to digest. Just two pieces for today. If you like it, you can have more tomorrow.”

 

“Okay.” The children obediently nodded.

 

After they went back inside, Lu Yao handed a piece to Zhao Beichuan. “Try it.”

 

“No need, save it for the kids.”

 

“It’s not like we’ll run out. Just try it!” Lu Yao directly brought the rice cake to his mouth.

 

Zhao Beichuan took a bite, making sure to lick Lu Yao’s fingertips. Flustered, Lu Yao pulled his hand back, his face red. “So inappropriate.”

 

“What’s inappropriate?” Zhao Beichuan hugged his waist from behind, pressing his hips forward.

 

Lu Yao’s ears turned red. “Stop messing around—it’s broad daylight.”

 

Zhao Beichuan gave him a squeeze. “Fine, we’ll save it for tonight.”

 

This batch of glutinous rice would make quite a few cakes. Lu Yao planned to send some to the Lin family and Manager Xu’s family as well.

 

Both were wealthy families who had seen all kinds of fine things. Sending other gifts might not impress them, but homemade treats felt thoughtful.

 

In the afternoon, Lu Yao delivered the food boxes. At the Xu residence, it was the lady of the house who received him, inviting him in for a chat.

 

With so much still to do at home, he politely declined.

 

He took Xiao Dou along to deliver the rice cakes to the Lin family. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw Lin Zijian building a snowman with two servants.

 

“Beidou, you’re here! Come see how majestic my snowman is!” He turned and, seeing Lu Yao behind Xiao Dou, straightened up and saluted. “Sister-in-law.”

 

Lu Yao couldn’t help laughing. “Brought you some treats. Go inside and try them.”

 

Lin Zijian’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Sister-in-law!”

 

The two kids ran into the house, and Madam Lin came out upon hearing the commotion. “Lu Yao, come in! I was just about to have someone bring this over to you, and here you are.”

 

Lu Yao entered to see a room full of gifts.

 

“These are for you to take back—things sent by others.”

 

Old Master Lin, a former scholar-administrator, held a high position in the Imperial Academy. Though retired and recuperating at home, he still received many gifts from former students or those seeking favors. The gifts were naturally of high quality.

 

“This… this is too much…”

 

“It’s nothing valuable. The old man doesn’t care for these things, and every year, much of it goes to waste.”

 

Unable to refuse, Lu Yao ended up taking a pile of items home. This time, delivering treats turned into gaining a big windfall.

 

Back home, they unpacked the paper-wrapped gifts like opening mystery boxes.

 

“Oh my, there’s even a ginseng root here!” Lu Yao examined it—it must have been a century old, worth at least 100 taels of silver.

 

“Should we return it?”

 

Zhao Beichuan waved his hand. “If they gave it to you, they clearly don’t care about it. Just keep it.”

 

Another box contained assorted dried fruits from the south—longan, raisins, red dates, and dried mangoes. These were rare treats. Except for the dates, the siblings had never seen the other items.

 

Lu Yao gave them a taste and continued unpacking.

 

One box held pastries from the capital: four smaller boxes with four pastries each, totaling sixteen.

 

Each person tried one. The taste was average, not as good as the cakes Lu Yao made.

 

Another box held tea leaves, adding to their growing collection of four boxes now.

 

The final box contained a painting of pine and cranes, symbolizing longevity.

 

They kept the edible items and stored the others. The ginseng would be brought to his mother when they visited her on the second day of the new year.

 

As the rooster crowed, the old year ended, and the new year began.

 

On New Year’s Eve, the Zhao family prepared ten dishes, symbolizing perfection. The table was filled with chicken, fish, vegetables, and meat.

 

After the meal, Xiao Dou and Xiao Nian knelt to give New Year’s greetings, wishing blessings.

 

Lu Yao quickly handed out red envelopes prepared in advance, each containing ten copper coins. The children jumped for joy.

 

As the head of the household, Zhao Beichuan gave a short speech, instructing Xiao Dou to study hard and avoid mischief, reminding Xiao Nian to improve her needlework and not be stubborn, and urging Lu Yao to rest more and take care of himself.

 

Outside, firecrackers exploded as the Zhao family welcomed the new year amidst laughter.

 

 

 

Here are the measurement terms mentioned in the text:

 

1. 斗 (dou): A traditional Chinese unit of volume, approximately equal to 10 liters or about 2.6 gallons, depending on the historical context.

 

2. 文 (wen): A traditional Chinese currency unit used during imperial times.

 

3. 百两银子 (hundred taels of silver): A unit of currency and weight for silver, commonly used in ancient China. One tael is approximately 37.5 grams.