The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 39: Moving House

Qiu Huanian deliberately furrowed his brows in distress and said, “I’m not a child anymore. Why would I secretly avoid taking my medicine?”

A smile surfaced in Du Yunse’s eyes. Every time Hua Ge’er took his medicine, the way he braced himself in front of the bowl was indeed quite childlike.

“The medicine we bought from the prefectural city is still enough for another ten days. By the time you finish it, the new main house and side rooms should be nearly completed. Then we can go to the county to get you a new prescription.”

Thinking of the bitter medicine, Qiu Huanian let out a sincere sigh. Fortunately, Doctor Gu’s medicine was indeed effective. These past days, the frequency of his dizziness had significantly decreased, and his body was not as weak anymore—though even in summer, his hands and feet remained ice-cold.

The three father-and-son bricklayers, to speed up construction, had directly moved into Du Family Village but did not stay in the straw house behind Qiu Huanian’s home. Instead, they set up a simple shed in the garden, laying down straw and old quilts as temporary lodging.

They also didn’t eat with Qiu Huanian’s family, having brought their own cooking utensils and built a small stove. As their employer, Qiu Huanian only needed to provide some ingredients.

From time to time, he would add some eggs and white rice or flour to their rations, ensuring the bricklayers worked even harder.

Now that the summer solstice had passed, the weather was growing hotter. Even as the sun set, the lingering heat had yet to dissipate, and the air remained heavy with stifling warmth.

Qiu Huanian lifted the lid off the pot and scooped out a serving of sauerkraut-flavored stir-fried noodle soup.

Last autumn and winter, Cun Lanniang and Ye Taohóng had pickled several large jars of sauerkraut, yet they still hadn’t finished eating it all. From time to time, they would send some to their close neighbors and friends.

As the weather grew hotter, sauerkraut could no longer be preserved properly. In ancient rural villages, without refrigerators, even with great care, a thick white layer of mold would eventually grow atop the sauerkraut jars.

Qiu Huanian had received a good amount of sauerkraut and had been preparing it in various ways. Today’s sauerkraut stir-fried noodle soup was one such dish.

The ingredients were simple—just noodles, sauerkraut, and eggs. The seasonings were minimal as well: scallions, salt, soy sauce, and a single star anise were enough.

While preparing the noodles, Qiu Huanian first cracked three eggs into a bowl, whisked them with chopsticks, and poured them into the pot to fry. The eggs in the stir-fried noodle soup had to be cooked thoroughly so that when added back later, they would absorb the broth’s flavors.

After frying the eggs and setting them aside, the rest of the dish was cooked in a single pot.

One crucial ingredient for stir-fried noodle soup was scallions—and lots of them. Qiu Huanian cut a whole handful of scallions from the garden, washed them clean, split them down the middle, and then sliced them diagonally into thin, half-centimeter-wide “eyebrow” scallions. He poured a small bowl of oil into the pot and added the scallions and star anise to fry together.

As the scallions turned golden brown and slightly crispy, and the scallion leaves curled up due to dehydration, a rich, fragrant aroma filled the courtyard. Jiujiu paused her needlework and glanced over, while Chunsheng inside the main house kept sneaking peeks outside, unable to resist the enticing smell.

Once the fragrant scallion oil was ready, Qiu Huanian rinsed the sauerkraut in clean water, sliced it into thin strips, and added it to the pot to stir-fry alongside the scallions. as the ingredients sizzled and steamed, the fragrance in the courtyard became even more layered and complex.

When the sauerkraut softened and turned translucent, the most crucial step—the “stir-fry” of the stir-fried noodle soup—was complete. Qiu Huanian then added water to the pot, along with the fried eggs, soy sauce, and salt. He brought it to a rolling boil before adding the hand-pulled noodles. Soon, this simple and comforting dish was ready.

The hand-pulled noodles were thicker, so they needed a bit more time to simmer. When Qiu Huanian lifted the lid, the noodles had absorbed the broth, turning soft and thick, their golden color making them even more appetizing.

He served everyone a bowl and called them to set up the table for dinner.

After stir-frying, the sauerkraut’s sharp tang mellowed, blending harmoniously with the scallion’s aroma. The subtle sourness was soothing, a welcome relief in the stifling summer heat. Sitting in the courtyard, as the sun had set but darkness had yet to fully descend, they enjoyed the gentle evening breeze while savoring each mouthful of sauerkraut stir-fried noodle soup—a simple pleasure bringing immense contentment.

In summer, everyone’s appetite usually dwindled, yet tonight, Jiujiu and Chunsheng each finished a full bowl. Even Qiu Huanian, after finishing his portion, couldn’t resist having another half bowl. Meanwhile, Du Yunse refilled his bowl entirely.

Normally, Chunsheng would have been pestering Qiu Huanian to make this dish again soon. However, still in his self-imposed “sulking” phase, he hesitated for a long time and ultimately said nothing.

Qiu Huanian saw through him immediately, but since Chunsheng wasn’t asking, he pretended not to notice. Instead, he cheerfully scooped up the remaining half a pot of noodle soup and carried it to the front garden for the bricklayers to enjoy.

Soup-based noodles couldn’t be kept overnight, as they would turn into a sticky mess. Since he had made a bit too much, it was better to share with the bricklayers, whose hard labor always left them with a hearty appetite.

Du Yunse accompanied him, taking the opportunity to check on the progress of their new house.

The house had been under construction for ten days now. Since Qiu Huanian was generous with his payments, the bricklayers worked diligently. He had also hired additional laborers for miscellaneous tasks, so the construction was progressing faster than expected. The foundation for the main house and side rooms was nearly complete, with only the roof, windows, and heating platforms left to install.

The doors and windows needed to be custom-made after measurements were taken. Additionally, more furniture was necessary since the house was larger now. At the very least, the rooms for regular occupants needed to be properly furnished. Qiu Huanian planned to visit the county in the next few days to purchase what was needed.

Between the earnings from Jiujiu’s sorghum candy sales and their savings, Qiu Huanian now had a total of twenty-seven taels of silver—enough to be frugal while still buying quality goods.

Purchasing the widow Zhuang’s garden had cost one and a half taels. The bricklayers’ wages amounted to three taels, while the three village laborers were paid just under one tael in total. The cost of bricks, tiles, and wood had added up to ten taels. altogether, the new house had already exceeded fifteen taels in expenses.

However, the house was spacious and sturdy—worth every coin spent.

The next morning, after settling things at home, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse set out for the county at dawn, hoping to avoid the scorching midday sun.

In the southern part of the city, Qiu Huanian found a reputable carpenter, commissioned doors and windows for the main house and side rooms, and picked out a few pre-made pieces of furniture. After paying a deposit, they arranged for delivery to Du Family Village in five days.

As they left the carpenter’s workshop, Du Yunse remained unusually quiet, his gaze lingering on the elderly craftsman.

Qiu Huanian noticed and gently tugged his sleeve.

“Yunse, are you okay?”

Du Yunse came back to his senses, lowered his eyes, and shook his head. “I’m fine. Don’t we still need to buy cotton and fabric? Let’s go.”

The two of them stored the mule cart and walked side by side through the winding and narrow streets of the southern city. As they walked, Qiu Huanian looked ahead and spoke softly.

“If you’re feeling upset, you can talk to me. Don’t worry about losing face. What kind of relationship do we have now?”

His crisp and pleasant voice blended with the noisy sounds of the street, drifting into his ears. Du Yunse’s footsteps paused slightly, his expression subtly touched.

After a moment of silence, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice. “I was just thinking about my father.”

“…It’s been too many years. I can hardly remember what he looked like.”

“Nine years ago, I ranked first in the county examination. Feeling confident in my knowledge, I wanted to take the Tongsheng examination in the prefectural city. My father said nothing, quietly sold half-grown pigs from the pigsty, and took me on the journey.”

“The expenses in the prefectural city were too high, and my father fell ill due to the change in climate. After finishing the prefectural examination, we set off for home. When we reached Zhang County, we found out that I had ranked first in the prefectural examination as well.”

“That day, my father laughed up at the sky and bought a bowl of wontons from a small stall in the southern part of the city. After watching me finish eating, he suddenly wiped his tears.”

“One month after the prefectural examination was the academy examination. My father hoped I would take it, but how could our family afford another trip to the prefectural city?”

As Du Yunse slowly recounted his story, his pace of speech gradually slowed, his voice barely carrying beyond the immediate space, heard only by the attentive Qiu Huanian.

“Not long after, word of my achievement—ranking first in both the county and prefectural examinations at the age of ten—reached the ears of the education commissioner at the time. He came to Du Family Village with a traveling teacher to see me. The teacher felt a connection with me and wanted to take me as his disciple.”

“The teacher didn’t have much time to stay. If I accepted, I had to leave immediately. I was young and hesitant, but my father said that a man’s ambition should stretch beyond the horizon and urged me to go without delay.”

“On the morning of my departure, he walked alongside the carriage for a long, long time. I kept looking back at him, and the last glimpse I had of him… was our final farewell.”

For once, Du Yunse’s voice trembled slightly at the end. He did not speak again for a long time.

Under the cover of his sleeve, Qiu Huanian quietly held his hand and walked with him. No words of comfort could compare at this moment; he simply needed to be a silent listener.

A listener for the words Du Yunse had never had the chance to say when he was ten years old.

The two of them walked all the way to a stall selling cotton. The businessman who used to run it had left, and a new shopkeeper had taken over.

Qiu Huanian bought ten pounds of cotton in one go, along with five bolts of fabric in simple and elegant colors, intending to make bedsheets for the new kang bed.

The shop assistant at the fabric store still remembered them. When he learned that Du Yunse had passed the Xiucai examination, he repeatedly offered his congratulations. If not for Qiu Huanian’s firm resolve, he might have been persuaded into buying much more than he needed.

After finishing their errands, they headed to Wanshi Escort Bureau. Du Yunse wanted to send a letter to Wu Shen to inform him that he had passed the Xiucai examination.

The escort at Wanshi Escort Bureau recognized them and slapped his forehead. “You two came at the right time! We just received a letter from Young General Wu Shen for you, Du Gongzi. We hadn’t gotten the chance to deliver it to Du Family Village before you arrived.”

“Wu Shen sent me a letter?”

“Yes.”

Du Yunse was unsure why Wu Shen had written to him so suddenly. He took the letter and opened it to read.

After scanning the brief contents, his brows furrowed slightly. Seeing this, Qiu Huanian asked what was wrong. Du Yunse folded the letter, tucked it into his chest, and said he would explain once they were back.

On the way home, when there was no one else around, Du Yunse finally told Qiu Huanian what the letter said.

Qiu Huanian gasped softly. “The border is at war again?”

“Ever since the founding of Dayu(the great yu), border conflicts have been unceasing. However, after His Majesty personally led a campaign to suppress them more than a decade ago, the northern Tatars have only been capable of minor skirmishes.” Wen Huiyang was never the kind of scholar who stayed confined to his books. Learning under him, Du Yunse had also gained some understanding of border affairs.

“Wu Shen says that, for some reason, the Tatars’ attacks have been more aggressive lately. He fought bravely in the Jing Mountain Guard and earned merit, but because of his father’s status, he likely won’t receive any official promotion or reward.”

Wu Shen himself did not seem too concerned about this in his letter. He mainly boasted about his achievements while mentioning a few unusual details about the Tatars and his growing concerns.

“Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has greatly reformed the military. The stationed troops are now all elite soldiers and skilled generals. The current border forces are far superior to those of twenty or thirty years ago. The last time the Tatars breached the frontier was over twenty years ago, during a period when the northeastern provinces were plagued by consecutive years of natural disasters and famine.”

“In his letter, Wu Shen mentioned that the Tatars’ supply of provisions seems unusually abundant for this season, and their weapons are new and sharp. Although they were still no match for the imperial army and were ultimately defeated, it is still unsettling.”

Qiu Huanian frowned in thought. The northern Tatars were a nomadic people with no means to produce high-quality iron weapons or grow substantial amounts of grain.

While their vast grasslands allowed them to breed excellent warhorses in great numbers, their army had never possessed an ample supply of weapons or food. This made it difficult for them to mount a large-scale invasion of the Dayu Empire.

Throughout history, every dynasty had strictly regulated the trade of iron with the steppe tribes, and Dayu was no exception. The fact that the Tatars now had new weapons was no trivial matter—it was cause for concern.

“Could it be that someone from the Central Plains is smuggling iron weapons to the steppe?”

Du Yunse spoke gravely. “Weapons are strictly controlled within our own empire as well. Ordinary merchants wouldn’t have the means to pull this off. I fear the truth lies deeper within the imperial court.”

The civil officials, the military generals? The noble families, the royal clan?

Du Yunse raised his hand to smooth out the furrow between Qiu Huanian’s brows. They were still in the countryside, far removed from these matters, and worrying wouldn’t change anything.

“Wu Shen must have reported this matter in detail in his memorial. The issue of ironware is of great importance, and His Majesty will investigate it thoroughly.”

Qiu Huanian slowly nodded. Zhang County was not too far from the border; a fast horse could reach it in three or four days. He hoped their peaceful life would not be disrupted.

The matters mentioned in Wu Shen’s letter were, after all, distant from their current life. After returning to the village, Qiu Huanian became busy and soon put them out of his mind.

A few days later, the construction of several rooms and the connecting corridors was completed ahead of schedule, and the carpenter delivered the doors, windows, and furniture.

Qiu Huanian hired a craftsman to build heated brick beds in the main house and two side rooms, while the side rooms adjacent to the main house remained without them.

The east side room was furnished with a newly polished and refinished desk, along with a new bookshelf, turning it into a study. The west side room was fitted with a large stove capable of holding two pots, making it the kitchen. Once the back house was completed, one of its rooms would be used for storage.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse shared the main house, the west side room was given to Jiujiu, and the east side room to Chunsheng. Finally, everyone had their own space instead of crowding together.

As for furnishings, Qiu Huanian didn’t plan to do too much right away, but to ensure a comfortable living environment, there was still plenty to prepare.

For instance, every brick bed needed new grass mats, and the purchased fabric had to be cut and sewn into properly sized bed sheets. They also made extra quilts and blankets, all covered in new cloth.

Some new furniture was bought from the carpenter, while sturdy old pieces were kept. Qiu Huanian and the hired workers sanded down the old furniture, applied tung oil to refinish them, and moved them into the new house, making them look beautiful once more.

On the eighteenth day of construction, the family of four finally moved from their old thatched house into the newly renovated home. The front courtyard wall was nearly completed. Once they moved in, the old thatched house would be torn down to make way for the back house and garden, as designed by Qiu Huanian.

On moving day, Qiu Huanian cooked one last meal using the stove in the old courtyard. After that, all cooking would be done in the new side-room kitchen, where they no longer had to worry about wind and rain interfering with their meals.

Standing in the bright, spacious house, Qiu Huanian remained calm, but Chunsheng was so excited that he was speechless, while Jiujiu opened his mouth in awe and then suddenly wiped away tears.

Such a spacious and well-lit brick house, such a beautiful courtyard—there weren’t many people in town who could afford to build something like this. Could they really own such a place?

Previously, the best house in Du Family Village belonged to Du Baoquan, even better than the clan leader’s home. But compared to Qiu Huanian’s new house, it was nothing.

Not to mention the two large side rooms, the long eaves, and the corridor connecting the main house and side rooms—such designs were unheard of in the village.

Even more remarkable was the yet-to-be-completed back house and the entire separate garden with its own entrance, designed in a style more akin to city dwellings.

Everyone knew such houses were more beautiful and comfortable, but in rural areas, few people built them this way, as every additional structure required more materials and labor.

Only someone like Qiu Huanian, who had money to spare and was willing to invest in a better quality of life, would build such a house.

Though the courtyard wasn’t fully completed, many villagers came bearing vegetables and fruits as gifts, taking the opportunity to have a look around. They later recounted what they saw to relatives in other villages, spreading the fame of this extraordinary house even further.

The Song family from Taohua Town, home of the Juren-degree holder, even sent a servant to deliver a set of Ru kiln teaware and a pair of decorative vases as a housewarming gift.

Since Du Yunse achieved the “Lesser Three Yuan” honors, the Song family’s attitude towards them had become much warmer, frequently sending useful summer items.

Had they not known that the family was busy with construction, they would have already sent an invitation for a visit.

Du Yunse accepted the gift and sent back two hand-copied ancient texts as a return present for the Song family’s servant to deliver.

These ancient texts were rare editions not widely available in the market. Thanks to his mentor, Wen Huiyang, Du Yunse had access to them, making them suitable as a return gift.

Qiu Huanian put away the teaware, placed the pair of entwined peony vases on the table in the main house, where they complemented the central hanging painting he had personally drawn.

On the first night in their new home, Qiu Huanian, unusually, had trouble sleeping.

Although he had already shared a room with Du Yunse for over ten nights in the city and even engaged in some improper behavior, that had been while traveling. Now, lying in their own home together at night, it felt entirely different.

Qiu Huanian turned over on the brand-new mattress, propping himself up on his elbow and looking at Du Yunse, who was lying just half an arm’s length away.

Even in sleep, Du Yunse maintained a proper posture, arms resting at his sides, his jawline tracing a smooth arc in the moonlight.

Qiu Huanian reached out and poked Du Yunse’s chin, waking his half-asleep bedmate.

Du Yunse quickly regained full consciousness, his voice husky as he asked, “Hua ge’er, what’s wrong?”

As he spoke, he made to sit up, but Qiu Huanian quickly gestured for him to stay put, feeling a little guilty. “I didn’t expect you to be asleep already.”

Du Yunse replied gently that it was fine and still got up to pour Qiu Huanian half a cup of warm water.

Qiu Huanian took a few sips and then lay back down on his pillow. “I can’t sleep.”

Du Yunse waited quietly for him to continue.

“I was just thinking about when I first arrived. There was only a thatched house and a half-collapsed heated bed, and now we have a big new house with brick floors. It all feels a bit unreal.”

When Du Yunse heard “first arrived,” he automatically interpreted it as when Qiu Huanian first came to live with the Du family.

A pang of emotion welled up in Du Yunse’s chest. “You’ve suffered.”

But Qiu Huanian just chuckled. “What’s the point in saying that? There are always people worse off than us. Instead of complaining, it’s better to work hard. See? Now we have a good house to live in.”

Du Yunse didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh. Hua ge’er was always like this—no matter the situation, he was full of confidence and determination.

Once, Qiu Huanian had jokingly called himself a “hard worker,” though Du Yunse didn’t fully understand the meaning, he remembered it nonetheless.

After chatting for a bit, Qiu Huanian still wasn’t sleepy, but instead, he started to feel restless. He tugged at the sleeve of Du Yunse’s inner robe peeking out from the blanket.

“Yunse, don’t you have any thoughts at all?”

Du Yunse was momentarily confused. “About what?”

“Look, ‘the moon is at the tip of the willow, the window half open to the breeze; the moon shifts, the flowers cast moving shadows, as if a jade beauty—’”(1)

“Huanian!” Du Yunse hurriedly interrupted him, took a deep breath, and asked, “Where did you learn these… these strange verses?”

I learned them in the modern world, they’re everywhere on TV and in bookstores—classical operatic masterpieces that rebel against feudal ethics and praise the greatness of human nature and love, Qiu Huanian thought to himself.

Of course, he couldn’t tell Du Yunse such a blatant truth, but Qiu Huanian found amusement in it.

His husband was just too proper, making it hard to resist the urge to test his limits.

Qiu Huanian propped up his sharp chin and narrowed his fox-like, captivating eyes.

“What’s the big deal? It’s not like I’m reciting them out loud in the streets during the day.”

“In the quiet of the night, even the sages knew that desire is part of human nature. Besides, haven’t you ever—”

“Mm…”

Qiu Huanian’s words were abruptly silenced by a deep kiss. He clutched Du Yunse’s shoulder, revealing a mischievous, triumphant smile.

When the kiss ended, Qiu Huanian had already slipped into Du Yunse’s blankets. Du Yunse sighed helplessly, holding his little husband in his arms. He couldn’t bear to push him away, so he could only train his self-restraint.

But Qiu Huanian, satisfied with his success, didn’t care about that. Having achieved his goal, he smiled sweetly, resting his head on Du Yunse’s shoulder. His breathing gradually became steady and soft.

Du Yunse kissed his forehead, adjusted his posture to make Qiu Huanian more comfortable, and embraced his beloved as they fell asleep together.

…

Two days later, the courtyard walls and main gate were fully built, and the rear wing of the house was gradually taking shape.

Du Yunse was busy in the cotton fields while Qiu Huanian sat in the main house reading when he suddenly heard someone calling for him outside.

Qiu Huanian and Jiujiu both followed the sound to the entrance, opening the gate to find a fellow villager with whom they had a good relationship.

“Hua-ge’er, I just ran into a stranger at the village entrance. He was asking about Yunse’s home. I was worried something was off, so I gave him the wrong directions and came to inform you first.”

After the uproar caused by Zhao Shi and the Qiu family’s attempt to sell Qiu Huanian, the arrival of a stranger unfamiliar with Liaozhou’s accent asking for Du Yunse naturally put the villagers on alert.

“Thank you, Baozhen-shu. What did that stranger look like?”

“A young man in his twenties, riding a horse. Nothing particularly special about his appearance, but his accent sounded like those I’ve heard a few times in the county from people from the capital.”

After delivering his message, Baozhen left. Qiu Huanian didn’t know such a person, but with a capital accent, the stranger was most likely connected to Du Yunse. Thinking it over, he quickly instructed Jiujiu to go to the fields and fetch Du Yunse back.

Author’s note—

“You see, the moon is above the willow tip, the door half-open in the breeze, the moon shifts and the flower’s shadow moves, could it be the jade-like beauty—”

—is adapted from The Peony Pavilion (西廂記), a famous Chinese opera. In the original story, the female lead, Cui Yingying, gives this poem to her maid Hongniang to pass to Zhang Sheng, the male lead. Zhang Sheng, upon reading it, understands Cui Yingying’s romantic intentions and sneaks out at midnight to meet her.

This note helps contextualize Qiu Huanian’s playful teasing of Du Yunse and the flirtatious undertone of his words.