Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 88

Chapter 88

 

Ever since Douzi started school, the house felt especially quiet with one less person around.

 

Especially for Xiaonian, who used to share a room with her younger brother. Now that Xiaodou was gone, she slept alone in the hall.

 

At night, her mind would fill with strange thoughts, and for two consecutive nights, she woke up scared from nightmares. Too embarrassed to seek out her elder brother and sister-in-law, she could only sit hugging her knees until dawn.

 

Lu Yao was the first to notice something was wrong. During the day, Xiaonian kept nodding off on the stool, her under-eyes darkened, clearly not getting proper rest.

 

The next night, Lu Yao moved Xiaonian’s bedding into their room. “If you’re scared, sleep with us for a few nights. Once you’re no longer afraid, you can go back to sleeping on your own.”

 

Blushing, Xiaonian nodded and slept soundly beside her sister-in-law, no longer plagued by nightmares.

 

After staying for a few days and gradually adapting, Xiaonian moved her bedding back to the middle room.

 

She was nine years old already, practically a young lady in this early-maturing era. How could she keep clinging to her elder brother and sister-in-law’s room?

 

By late July, the tail end of the summer heatwave was in full force. Even with the windows open during the day, the heat was stifling and irritable, keeping even diners away from the eatery.

 

After all, eating a meal and drenching your clothes in sweat was unbearable.

 

The kitchen was even worse. Zhao Beichuan spent every day drenched like he had been fished out of water, never stopping to sweat. His thighs and armpits developed a rash of prickly heat, itching so much at night that he couldn’t sleep.

 

Lu Yao went to the pharmacy to buy some mugwort, boiled it into water, and used it to wipe down Zhao Beichuan. But no sooner did one area heal than another rash appeared.

 

Seeing him so miserable, Lu Yao was deeply distressed. After inquiring about the price of ice—now as high as 80 wen per square foot—he decided to place wooden tubs in the front and back of the shop, filling them with ice at noon to make the rooms slightly cooler.

 

Recently, fewer people were dining in the eatery, but the demand for cold noodles surged.

 

After discussing it with Zhao Beichuan, they decided to make more. The daily quota of 50 bowls of cold noodles was increased to 100, yet still sold out quickly. Eventually, they raised it to 150 bowls, which barely sufficed.

 

At noon, when people didn’t want to cook over a fire, they would head to the Lu family’s eatery to buy a serving of cold noodles. The price was reasonable and affordable for ordinary families.

 

Time flew, and soon it was August 8th, the academy’s day off. Early in the morning, Zhao Beichuan drove the cart to pick up Douzi from school.

 

The mule cart stopped at the academy gate, waiting for half an hour as students trickled out.

 

Among the crowd, Zhao Beichuan spotted his younger brother and immediately raised his hand to call out, “Beidou!”

 

“Elder brother!” Zhao Beidou ran over excitedly.

 

Zhao Beichuan cheerfully lifted him by the armpits and hoisted him into the air.

 

Flushing with embarrassment, Xiaodou stammered, “Put me down! My classmates are all watching.”

 

Laughing, Zhao Beichuan placed him on the cart and ruffled his hair. “Little rascal, your elder brother missed you. Didn’t you miss me?”

 

“I did, but our teacher taught us to mind our manners and not jump around.”

 

“Alright, no more lifting then.”

 

“I’ll go bid farewell to my classmates first.” With that, Xiaodou got off the cart, approached a group of people, and cupped his hands in a bow to say goodbye. The others returned his bow with smiling faces.

 

“Alright, let’s go.”

 

Looking at his younger brother, Zhao Beichuan couldn’t help but pat his head, feeling a deep sense of pride as though his child had grown up.

 

On the cart, Douzi began recounting his life at the academy. “On my first day, I didn’t know anything, but luckily, an old man named Li, a classmate, helped me…”

 

“Wait, what old man Li?”

 

“A scholar who shares my room. He’s 42 years old, so it’s only right to call him Grandpa Li.”

 

Zhao Beichuan’s expression turned strange. “There are scholars that old at the academy?”

 

“Yes, quite a few. There are also two over 30 in my room—Uncle Zhang and Uncle Xiao. They’re very kind to me.”

 

The bullying that Lu Yao had worried about never happened. Who would bother to pick on a child at their age? It would be laughable. The older roommates treated Xiaodou like their own nephews, taking good care of him.

 

The mule cart soon arrived at the shop. Xiaodou jumped off and ran inside. “Sister-in-law! Sister!”

 

Xiaonian, who was sitting behind the counter learning to read the ledger, immediately put down her notebook and walked out. “Xiaodou!”

 

The two siblings hugged, and Xiaonian affectionately rubbed her brother’s cheek. “How’s life at the academy these days? Did anyone bully you?”

 

“No, everything’s great!”

 

“I was so worried. It’s so boring without you at home.”

 

Xiaodou held his sister’s hand. “I missed you too. Where’s Sister-in-law?”

 

“He’s in the back slicing cucumbers. Customers will be here soon to buy cold noodles.”

 

“I want cold noodles too! I’ve been craving Sister-in-law’s cooking at the academy!”

 

The academy provided three meals a day, but the taste was far from satisfactory. Breakfast consisted of millet porridge, lunch had one meat dish and one vegetable dish, with a piece of flatbread as the main course. Dinner was the same.

 

The so-called meat dish barely had any meat, only a hint of flavor. The vegetable dishes were repetitive: stewed radish, stewed cabbage, and stewed zucchini.

 

Every mealtime, Xiaodou missed his sister-in-law’s cooking. He even promised his roommates that after the break, he’d bring them some homemade food to try.

 

In the kitchen, Lu Yao was slicing cucumber strips. Over time, his knife skills had become impeccable. Each slice was uniform in size and thickness.

 

“Sister-in-law!” Hearing Xiaodou’s voice, Lu Yao quickly put down the knife, wiped his hands on his apron, and turned to scoop up the running child.

 

Xiaodou clung to hiss shoulder, eyes reddening instantly. “Sister-in-law, I missed you so much.”

 

“Good boy, I missed you too.”

 

At this moment, Xiaodou abandoned all notions of etiquette, clinging to Lu Yao as if he didn’t want to let go.

 

For him, his sister-in-law was no different from a mother. Other children had their mothers’ love, and he had his sister-in-law’s.

 

Xiaonian gave him a pat. “Get down. You’re so heavy, don’t tire out Sister-in-law.”

 

Reluctantly, Xiaodou climbed down, looking up at his sister-in-law.

 

Lu Yao pinched his cheek. “You’ve lost weight. Is the academy food that bad?”

 

Xiaodou nodded and then shook his head. “It’s filling, but compared to your cooking, it’s a bit lacking.”

 

“Next time, Sister-in-law will make you a jar of sauce to mix with your meals.”

 

“Okay!”

 

Curious, Xiaonian asked, “Sister-in-law, what’s mixed rice sauce?”

 

“It’s made by stir-frying diced meat, radish, mushrooms, and soybean paste together. It’s great for stuffing flatbreads or mixing with millet rice.”

 

The two children drooled at the thought. Sister-in-law was amazing, always coming up with new delicious dishes!

 

Before long, Zhao Beichuan returned the cart. “Why are you all in the back? Who’s minding the shop?”

 

Lu Yao took off his apron. “We’ll head to the front. You take over here.”

 

“Alright.” The two children crowded around him as they walked to the front, leaving Zhao Beichuan shaking his head with a smile. The children were closer to Lu Yao than to their own brother.

 

The three of them sat in the main hall as Xiaodou recounted his days at the academy.

 

“After enrolling, the teacher started with the Four Books and Five Classics, but the explanations were completely different from what I learned in the elementary school. It felt like studying two entirely different books.”

 

At the academy, even the lowest-ranking teachers were government-sponsored students, some even provincial graduates. Most of them disliked officialdom, preferring to immerse themselves in scholarly pursuits and teaching.

 

“I’m currently in the third-class group. My teacher, Mr. Yu, is a government-sponsored student. He’s over 50 years old, gentle, and takes good care of me.”

 

In fact, Mr. Yu’s attention to Zhao Beidou wasn’t just because of his age. The academy’s principal, He Zhiqiu, had specifically asked him to look after the boy.

 

Although Mr. Yu didn’t know the relationship between Zhao Beidou and the principal, he was determined to teach him well.

 

Lu Yao smiled after listening. “Our Douzi is so impressive, going to the academy all on his own.”

 

Douzi shyly shook his head. “I’m not that great. I heard there’s an eleven-year-old in the fourth-class group who earned his place by merit. He doesn’t even have to pay tuition.”

 

“He’s several years older than you. By the time you reach his age, you’ll surpass him and become a government scholar.”

 

Douzi thought for a moment and nodded. “Sister-in-law is right. By the time I’m his age, I’ll definitely surpass him and become a merit scholar!”

 

Lu Yao laughed, ruffling his hair as customers arrived for cold noodles. He quickly set up the table, while Xiaonian and Xiaodou fetched supplies from the back.

 

The pre-soaked garlic sauce was chilled with ice, sesame paste was diluted into a thick bowlful, and a mixture of sugar, salt, and vinegar was prepared.

 

When customers arrived, they could quickly mix a bowl of cold noodles. A sheet of noodles was sliced, topped with pieces of gluten, a handful of cucumber strips, and a spoonful each of the seasonings, ending with a sprinkle of crushed peanuts. The process was swift.

 

By mid-morning, more and more people came for cold noodles, forming a line along the shaded wall.

 

Most brought their own bowls, taking their noodles home to eat. Those working outside without bowls ate directly from the shop’s bowls, sitting on nearby stones, returning the bowls after finishing.

 

In no time, all 150 bowls of cold noodles were sold out, and the condiment tubs were emptied.

 

Xiaonian handed the string of copper coins to her sister-in-law. “Two strings and 250 wen in total!”

 

Lu Yao accepted the money and gave Xiaonian 100 wen. “Take Douzi out to play. Eat and buy whatever you like.”

 

“Thank you, Sister-in-law!” Xiaonian happily pocketed the money and took Xiaodou out to the street.

 

The two left the house and headed straight for a stall selling iced drinks. The so-called iced drink was made by crushing ice, sprinkling a bit of sugar and red bean paste on top, and serving it in a bamboo tube. One serving cost five wen.

 

Usually, Lu Yao didn’t allow them to eat such things, fearing they might upset their stomachs, but on such a hot day, he didn’t mind letting them indulge a little.

 

The two carried their iced drinks, walking and playing as they wandered all the way to the western market.

 

Every morning, Xiao Nian went to the western market with Lu Yao to buy groceries, so she was well-acquainted with the vendors there. When she saw familiar faces, she waved and greeted them.

 

“Little shopkeeper, here to buy groceries again?”

 

Xiao Nian shook her hand. “Not buying groceries today. I brought my little brother out to play.”

 

An old lady took two apricots from her basket and handed them to the siblings. “There’s someone selling rabbits over there. Why don’t you two go take a look?”

 

“Thank you, granny. We’ll go have a look.” Xiao Nian accepted the apricots graciously and took out a coin from her pocket to place in the old lady’s palm.

 

The old lady teased her with a smile, “Thank you, little shopkeeper.”

 

The two children held hands and ran toward the crowd ahead. Sure enough, they saw an old man selling rabbits.

 

Inside a basket woven from bamboo strips were over a dozen plump white rabbits, each about the size of a person’s palm, hopping around adorably.

 

“Big sister, I want this one!” Xiao Dou was completely captivated, his eyes glued to the rabbits in delight.

 

The old man grinned and said, “Why not buy one and take it home to raise? They’re such fun to have around.”

 

“How much for one?”

 

The old man saw their clean, finely dressed appearance and held up his hand. “Not expensive, fifty wen each.”

 

Someone nearby interjected, “Old fool, weren’t you selling them for thirty wen just now? Why cheat kids?”

 

The old man angrily waved his fist at the speaker, who laughed and ran off.

 

Xiao Nian pulled her brother, preparing to leave.

 

“Hey, hey, little girl, don’t go! How about fifty wen for two?”

 

Xiao Dou tugged at his sister’s sleeve, his eyes full of pleading and anticipation.

 

Xiao Nian paused. “These rabbits are so small, I’m afraid they won’t survive. It’d be a waste if they died shortly after we brought them home.”

 

“They’ll survive, they’ll survive! These are easy to care for. Just feed them a couple of vegetable leaves, and they’ll thrive.”

 

Both children were tempted. The old man quickly picked out two pretty rabbits from the basket and handed them over. “Take them home and make a cage to keep them in. They’re quiet and don’t make a fuss. Once they’re fattened up, you can even eat their meat.”

 

Xiao Nian frowned. After raising them herself, how could she bear to eat them? “Fine, we’ll take these two. Lower the price by ten wen.”

 

The old man pretended to hesitate and waved his hand. “Ah, you’re a sharp little girl. Take them, take them. Let this be my first sale of the day. But don’t tell anyone else you got them at this price.”

 

Xiao Nian nodded, counted out forty wen, and handed it to the old man. The siblings, each holding a rabbit, continued happily strolling through the market.

 

They didn’t notice a woman silently following them.

 

After wandering for a while, it was nearly noon. The two were hungry and decided to return to the shop.

 

They were stopped by a plump, kind-looking woman who asked, “Little girl, where did you buy those rabbits?”

 

“At a stall in the market ahead. Do you want to buy some? I can take you there.”

 

The woman shook her head. “No, I bought one before, but it died after just a few days. I just wanted to see if the person selling rabbits was the same one who sold to me.”

 

Xiao Nian said, “The vendor we bought from was an older man. I heard someone call him ‘Old Fool.’”

 

The woman thought for a moment. “Then it must not be the same person. The one who sold to me was a younger man. Ah, forget it. It was just a few dozen coins, anyway. By the way, do you need a rabbit cage? I have a newly made one at home that I no longer use. I can sell it to you cheaply.”

 

Xiao Nian’s eyes lit up. “How much?”

 

“Ten wen will do.”

 

The two children discussed it and felt that buying a cage was more convenient than making one themselves. “Where is the cage?”

 

“It’s at my house. If you don’t mind, come with me. It’s just a short walk down the alley ahead.”

 

The siblings nodded, unsuspecting, and followed her into the alley.

 

The path became increasingly winding and hard to navigate. After several turns, they couldn’t see their way back.

 

Xiao Nian grew uneasy. “How much farther?”

 

“Almost there. See that wooden door ahead? That’s my house.”

 

The woman led them to the door and knocked. “Husband, open the door.”

 

After a moment, heavy footsteps approached, and a man with a pockmarked face emerged, cursing, “Damn it, can’t even nap in peace in the middle of the day.”

 

Hearing his voice, Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou instinctively took a step back in fear.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

The woman gave the man a meaningful look. “These two kids came to buy a rabbit cage.”

 

“Oh, come in.”

 

Xiao Nian, now fully wary, pulled her brother and shook her head. “We don’t want it anymore. We’ve been out too long, and our family must be worried.” She grabbed her brother and turned to run.

 

The woman’s sharp voice pierced the air behind them. “Catch them!”

 

Three men burst out of the house, chasing the siblings. Within moments, they were caught.

 

“Let us go! Help! Somebody help us!”

 

The leader slapped each child, silencing their cries. “Run? You think you can escape? Try again, and I’ll break your legs!”

 

Terrified and sobbing, Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou were carried into the courtyard and locked in a woodshed.

 

Outside, the plump woman negotiated with the men. “This big girl alone can fetch at least two strings of cash if sold to a brothel. As for the boy, his fair and clean looks could get four or five strings if sold to a wealthy family as a servant. I won’t ask for much—just give me three strings total.”

 

“Three strings?”

 

“Three strings, not a coin less.”

 

The man with the pockmarked face sneered. “You must be crazy. Three strings for these two brats?”

 

The woman’s expression darkened. “If you won’t pay, give them back to me. I’ll find another buyer.”

 

One of the men spat. “Spit! They’re in our hands now. What’s it got to do with you?”

 

“Sun Mazi, you dare treat me, Madam Lan, like a fool? Fine, we’ll see who laughs last!” She turned to leave.

 

Sun Mazi grabbed her arm, laughing slyly. “Don’t be mad. My brothers don’t know the rules. Can’t you take a joke? But three strings are too much. Let me sell them tomorrow, and I’ll give you two strings. How about that?”

 

The woman snorted disdainfully. “That’s more like it. Be careful and don’t let them escape.”

 

“Don’t worry. When have I ever botched a job? Not even a mouse can get out of here.”

 

—

 

Meanwhile, back at the Lu family restaurant, Zhao Beichuan and Lu Yao were still busy.

 

Today, business was booming. There were thirteen tables, all large ones, with nearly every table seating eight people, and they ordered plenty of dishes.

 

Lu Yao’s back was soaked with sweat from all the work. Zhao Beichuan was also hot and tired, taking breaks to fetch water from the well and wipe his face and neck with a damp cloth.

 

It wasn’t until late afternoon that all the customers had left. After clearing the tables, Lu Yao couldn’t help but mutter, “Why have those kids been out so long? In this heat, I’m worried they might get heatstroke.”

 

Lu Yao removed his apron. “Beichuan, I’ll go look for them.”

 

“Go ahead. I’ll handle the rest,” Zhao Beichuan said, pouring leftover soup into a slop bucket to give to a neighbor who raised pigs.

 

Lu Yao started asking around along the street. He found the ice drink vendor packing up and quickly approached him.

 

“Uncle, have you seen my kids?”

 

The vendor, who often bought cold noodles from the Lu family, recognized him. “I saw them this morning. They bought two bowls of ice drinks and headed that way to play.”

 

Thanking the vendor, Lu Yao continued anxiously asking around.

 

He eventually reached the western market, but by now, most of the stalls had already closed. Only a few old men remained, chatting under a willow tree.

 

Lu Yao walked straight over. “Uncles, have you seen my kids? The older one is nine, the younger one seven, about this tall.”

 

The men all shook their heads. “No, no. There are so many people in the market every day. Who could remember?”

 

One of them suddenly spoke up. “Wait, I think I saw a brother and sister. Was the girl wearing a pinkish dress?”

 

“Yes, yes!” Lu Yao exclaimed excitedly. “Did you see where they went?”

 

“I saw them buy two rabbits at a stall. Maybe they ran off somewhere to play.”

 

Hearing this, Lu Yao’s eyes reddened with worry. Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou were obedient children and wouldn’t play around outside for so long. Something must have happened to them!