The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 106: The Lipid Absorption Method

Chapter 106: The Lipid Absorption Method

The next day, as promised, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse arrived at the estate.

As before, they traveled light—two people on one horse.

Qiu Huanian had grown more accustomed to riding; though the sensation remained exhilarating, it no longer made his heart pound uncontrollably. For warmth and safety, Du Yunse still held him close throughout the journey, not allowing him the slightest opportunity to resist.

With the farming season concluded, the vast fields lay blanketed in snow, the dark soil beneath peeking through like scattered pieces on a weathered chessboard. The tenant farmers, with no tasks left for the season, stayed indoors.

This year, under Qiu Huanian’s guidance, they had planted cotton and earned a handsome profit. While their thrifty habits led them to save most of their earnings, each household still set aside a portion to enjoy a better standard of living.

According to Old Deng, who had recently visited the city to sell poultry, families now regularly ate meat—a notable change.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse had not announced their visit in advance. Only after their arrival did Old Deng begin preparing the main residence for the cold.

Their first stop was Wei Li’s cottage, where they found Bing Qi and Bing Ba already present.

“Township Lord, Top Scholar—you’ve arrived!” Bing Qi greeted cheerfully from atop a ladder.

“Fixing the roof?” Qiu Huanian asked.

“Yes. The heavy snowfall a few days ago damaged it. We’re helping with repairs,” Bing Qi replied, wiping sweat from his brow.

Wei Li, standing below, hesitated before lowering a handkerchief he had considered offering.

“Why wait until today to fix it if it was damaged days ago?” Qiu Huanian asked.

Wei Li explained, “Only a few slender branches collapsed, and it wasn’t above our sleeping area. My aunt and I didn’t dare climb up ourselves, so we decided to leave it for now.”

But once Bing Qi heard of it, he had immediately brought his brother to help.

Qiu Huanian glanced at Bing Qi, who—despite his tall, sturdy build—balanced cautiously on the fragile roof, half-crouched, his face beaded with sweat that glistened in the winter sunlight.

Given the thatched roof’s limited structural support, his effort was commendable.

Qiu Huanian smiled. “Your families have always looked out for each other. Bing Qi’s just being his earnest self.”

Bing Ba, holding the ladder, chimed in, “Exactly. We’ve cooked and farmed together for months. If Wei Li needs help with the roof, we’ll handle it. And if he’s willing, he can make a pair of shoe inserts for my brother later.”

Wei Li hesitated, then nodded.

When Qiu Huanian mentioned wanting to see the plum blossoms, Wei Li led them to the plum grove.

Having gradually made peace with his past, Wei Li often wandered the estate in winter, painting and enjoying the scenery. He had been the first to discover the grove’s blooming and had sent a choice branch to the city.

The five-acre grove stretched endlessly, the plum blossoms not yet in full bloom. Crimson buds dotted the gray-brown expanse like specks of cinnabar ink on a pale scroll.

After leading them in, Wei Li left. Qiu Huanian inhaled the grove’s faint fragrance as they walked, Du Yunse gently parting branches to shield him from scratches.

Staring at the blossoms, braving frost and wind, Qiu Huanian thought suddenly of a girl.

“Perhaps plum blossoms aren’t meant to bloom in the snow—they simply strive to be the first to announce spring. That’s why they bloom early.”

Repeating those words, a melancholy overtook him. Du Yunse quietly took his hand.

Qiu Huanian lowered his gaze, shaking his head gently. “I often wonder what kind of person my mother, Mei Zhengchun, truly was.”

“She died at twenty-four. In another world, she’d have just graduated from university.”

His fox-like eyes shimmered. Though he had lived two lives, he now surpassed her in age. To him, Mei Zhengchun was both his mother and an eternally young girl.

“I remember her as frail, pale, and silent—like a shadow cast long by the setting sun on a dusty road.”

“But someone capable of speaking those words in the face of hardship must have been very different.”

He let out a long sigh.

Du Yunse said quietly, “Once we reach the capital, we can start investigating her past.”

“With her literacy and poise, she must’ve come from an affluent family. Mei was her surname, she had a southern accent, and yet she was found fleeing in the northeast, never revealing her origins…”

“With these clues, a thorough investigation into the major events in Liaozhou nineteen years ago should yield answers.”

Du Yunse had memorized every detail. Qiu Huanian’s concerns were his own.

Qiu Huanian felt warmth spread through him, the heavy emotions dissolving amid the subtle scent of plum blossoms.

“We’ll investigate—but cautiously, and with discretion.”

…

The grove deepened, the trees thinning out. As the snow thawed, the ground turned muddy and slick. Qiu Huanian slipped a few times, and Du Yunse finally stepped ahead and crouched.

“Brother Hua, climb on. I’ll carry you.”

Qiu Huanian hesitated only briefly before giving in, clambering onto Du Yunse’s broad back.

—Better to wear him out now, he thought. That way, Du Yunse might charge less during the hot spring “lessons” later.

Du Yunse hoisted him effortlessly, strong hands gripping Qiu Huanian’s thighs. Even through thick layers, his warmth seared through.

Qiu Huanian nestled into his shoulder and inhaled deeply.

“Yun Se, you smell amazing.”

“It’s probably the plum blossoms,” Du Yunse replied calmly.

Qiu Huanian sniffed again, his warm breath grazing Du Yunse’s sensitive neck, causing him to tense.

Qiu Huanian shook his head. “No, it’s not the blossoms. What is it?”

Du Yunse sighed. “Everything I use is managed by you, Brother Hua. Aside from the things we use for… ambiance, I use no perfume. Where would any scent come from?”

With the grove deserted, Du Yunse spoke bluntly. Qiu Huanian, slightly embarrassed, tugged at his earlobe in protest.

Though it had been his idea to use such things in the bedroom, Du Yunse had adapted—quickly.

Qiu Huanian gently pulled back his collar and inhaled again. It wasn’t a smell—it was a feeling.

Du Yunse flinched slightly at the touch, but Qiu Huanian laughed and tightened his grip on his shoulders.

“I get it now. As the saying goes, ‘A mind steeped in books carries its own fragrance.’ You reek of poetry!”

Du Yunse said nothing, letting the mischief pass.

Only he, in all the world, would ever hear such jokes.

He adjusted Qiu Huanian’s position slightly, securing his hold.

Qiu Huanian leaned on his shoulder again, watching the plum trees glide by. Inspiration suddenly struck.

“I’ve got it!” He sat up excitedly. “I know what we can produce this winter.”

“Oh?”

“Rose and osmanthus scents are usually loved by women or young men. Men find them overwhelming,” Qiu Huanian patted his shoulder playfully. “Like you.”

Du Yunse’s brows twitched. “They’re… a bit strong.”

“But that’s exactly it,” Qiu Huanian said with a grin. “I’d been worried there were no suitable flowers in winter for extraction. But the scent doesn’t need to be strong—it just needs the right audience.”

Indeed, not all flowers lend themselves to distillation. True plum blossoms lack enough oil for fragrance-making. Even in modern times, “plum” fragrances are usually made from wintersweet.

Unfortunately, Xiangping lacked a sufficient supply of wintersweet. Qiu Huanian had shelved the idea.

Until now.

He’d been thinking too narrowly. A subtle plum scent wasn’t a flaw—it could be a selling point.

For refined tastes, a delicate aroma was more elegant than overpowering floral notes.

Once he created it, Du Yunse—the esteemed Top Scholar—would be its first ambassador. Then he could send gifts to the teachers of Qingfeng Academy, starting with Min Taikang, and the fellow scholars Du Yunse knew well.

If the intellectual elite of Xiangping all used plum blossom balm, wouldn’t the public follow?

Pleased, Qiu Huanian gave Du Yunse a loud kiss on the cheek.

“Yun Se, I’m so lucky to have you!”

With that, he gained direct access to Xiangping’s literary circle—no need for advertising.

Du Yunse’s lips curled faintly, his eyes darkening as he shifted his grip slightly inward.

“Any reward for your loyal husband?”

Qiu Huanian flushed to the tips of his ears, burying his face in Du Yunse’s shoulder. His reply was nearly a whisper.

“They should’ve warmed the house and filled the hot spring by now. Let’s go back.”

Then, softly in Du Yunse’s ear: “I brought everything. Let’s return and I’ll give you a proper ‘reward.’”

That evening, Du Yunse once again carried Qiu Huanian out of the hot spring just in time for dinner. This time, Qiu Huanian had learned his lesson—he had Xing Mi bring two sets of clothes early, so they could dress immediately.

Still, Du Yunse insisted on drying him himself, then sat beside him on the heated bed as he rested.

Qiu Huanian was so spent he could barely lift a finger, but he still wanted to tease.

He gestured Du Yunse closer, touched his throat, and asked playfully, “Does it hurt? Here?”

Du Yunse caught his fingers and lightly bit them.

Qiu Huanian blushed, recalling the earlier scene.

Du Yunse murmured, “For Brother Hua, it’s always comfortable.”

Qiu Huanian quickly pulled the blanket over his head. Beneath the quilt, he could still hear Du Yunse’s low laughter—each note echoing against his heart.

…

The next day, fresh plum blossoms were gathered from the estate and sent to the city per Qiu Huanian’s instructions.

He ordered Steward Wu Da to procure other necessary materials and began his winter project: crafting a plum blossom balm.

This time, he didn’t opt for floral essence. Not only did essence freeze unpleasantly in the cold, but plum blossoms also yielded little oil—too little for distillation.

Instead, Qiu Huanian chose to use the enfleurage technique.

In his previous world, enfleurage had been developed in Europe. Unlike distillation or solvent extraction, it didn’t damage flowers or introduce foreign odors, making it ideal for capturing delicate fragrances like plum.

Its yield was five times greater than distillation, though it required exceptional skill and labor.

Qiu Huanian was unbothered by these demands. As a meticulous video creator, he’d tackled this niche method before. Labor wasn’t an issue either—tenant farmers had ample free time in winter. And with money not being a concern, time was a luxury he could afford.

He had old lady Jin render fresh lard and goose fat in water, adding alum to neutralize the odor.

For cooking, dry rendering was preferable for its efficiency and roasted aroma—but for balm, that smell would overwhelm the intended fragrance. Also, alum had no place in food.

Having served Qiu Huanian for months, Lady Jin trusted his methods and followed instructions precisely.

Qiu Huanian mixed the fats and added benzoin resin for preservation. In flat porcelain trays, he adjusted the mixture, testing and refining its hardness.

If the fat was too soft, flowers would stick and rot; if too hard, it wouldn’t absorb fragrance properly. Temperature and humidity demanded constant recalibration.

Once set, the fat resembled smooth jade. He used a wooden spatula to divide it into coin-sized squares and placed fresh plum blossoms on top, sealing the trays with lids.

The flowers were changed every two days, ten times in total, allowing the fat to fully absorb their scent—over ninety percent of the fragrance preserved.

The days passed. With each change, the trays grew more fragrant. By the tenth round, the fat retained its smooth, jade-like texture, but with a transformed scent—delicate and pure, like a living plum grove.

Satisfied, Qiu Huanian scraped the perfumed fat into a jar, added strong liquor, and left it to steep for ten more days—extracting the fragrance from fat into liquid.