Butcher Fulang’s Noodle Shop - Chapter 20
After their refreshing bath, Song Shi’an’s skin had taken on a soft, pink hue, like the petals of a spring peach. He no longer wished to wear the wedding dress, and luckily, Aunt Liu had prepared thin cotton pajamas for both him and Xu Zhongyue.
As he sat down on the bed, Xu Zhongyue brought a bowl containing untouched rice pudding and two chicken legs. He also poured a cup of cold water mixed with honey.
Song Shi’an had started his wedding day with an empty stomach, eating only the noodles delivered by Aunt Liu on Xu Zhongyue’s request. When he saw the food, his eyes lit up, and he eagerly began to eat.
Watching Song Shi’an devour his food with a serious expression and puffed-up cheeks, Xu Zhongyue couldn’t help but smile. The little shuanger was clearly very hungry, and there was no rush for what lay ahead. After all, a hungry wife wouldn’t do.
Just as Song Shi’an was enjoying a soft and glutinous candied date, his attention was abruptly diverted when he saw Xu Zhongyue taking off his shirt.
The candied date got stuck in his mouth, and he stared in astonishment.
To Xu Zhongyue, there was nothing peculiar about undressing in front of his wife. He unfastened his belt and entered the bathtub, revealing two long, white, and robust legs.
“But that water… I just used it,” Song Shi’an stammered.
Xu Zhongyue smiled and replied, “We’re married, so what does it matter if I use the same bathwater as you?” After a long day, soaking in hot water felt incredibly relaxing to him.
He lowered his eyes, gazing at Song Shi’an’s feet.
Although Song Shi’an was slender, his feet were a bit plump. All ten toes were round and chubby, and they were curling tightly into the ground at that moment.
After patiently waiting for Song Shi’an to finish eating, Xu Zhongyue emerged from the water, with his ink-like hair dripping down casually and his towering body approaching.
Song Shi’an couldn’t hide from him, and the hand he had used to resist was now clenched tight by his husband and a tip of his husband’s nose followed the slender wrist.
The red bed curtains, embroidered with golden thread, were lowered step by step, creating a world in which Song Shi’an lost all sense of reality. He laid on the pillow, cheeks flushed, eyes wide open, yet unconscious. Tears streamed from his eyes, making his captivation even more poignant. He clung to Xu Zhongyue like a drowning man clutching a lifeline, submitting as the waves of sensation rolled over him.
.
As the morning sun cast its golden glow through the room, Xu Zhongyue arose from the bed and stretched his arms. The lithe muscles of his chest and arms flexed gracefully.
Beside him, a cascade of long, inky hair resembled dark clouds, slightly tousled from the previous night. Song Shi’an was sleeping peacefully on his side. His eyelids and the corners of his lips appeared a bit swollen.
Quietly, Xu Zhongyue drained the remaining bathwater from the night before, placed a basin under the spigot, and refilled it with fresh, hot water. He then returned to the room and gently wiped Song Shi’an.
The night had been intense, but Xu Zhongyue’s touch was gentle and didn’t disrupt Song Shi’an’s peaceful slumber.
It was nearly afternoon when Song Shi’an finally stirred from his sleep. Xu Zhongyue was sitting by his side, attentively watching over him. Upon waking, Xu Zhongyue brought over a bowl of chicken soup with rice.
Seeing the man smiling at him, his handsome face radiating a mischievous charm, Song Shi’an playfully waved his fist, though he redirected it at Xu Zhongyue’s chest at the last moment.
The punch landed gently, and Xu Zhongyue didn’t flinch. The sight of Song Shi’an’s playful embarrassment brought a delightful tension to the room. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and although his throat tightened, he managed to restrain his impulses.
“You must be hungry. Let’s have something to eat,” Xu Zhongyue suggested.
Old Man Liu’s family had departed early that morning, leaving a pot of chicken soup for Xu Zhongyue, who wasn’t much of a cook. The soup had simmered until the meat and bones separated, resulting in a rich aroma that made Song Shi’an’s stomach growl.
However, as he tried to stand up, he felt a sharp pain in his lower back. His face contorted with discomfort, and he impulsively threw another punch at Xu Zhongyue.
The man was more resilient than Song Shi’an expected, bearing the punch without flinching. Song Shi’an’s white knuckles turned red from the repeated blows. Xu Zhongyue gently intertwined their fingers and kissed them, acknowledging his mistake.
Realizing his own actions, Song Shi’an blushed and ate a bowl of chicken soup with rice.
Xu Zhongyue, knowing that his wife wasn’t feeling well, took on all the household chores for the day, from laundry to cooking.
After Song Shi’an dozed off once more and enjoyed a large bowl of cool sour plum soup, Xu Zhongyue closed all the doors and windows. He then retrieved a wooden box from beneath a floor tile in the room.
“Now that we’re married, I will entrust the money I earn to you for safekeeping,” Xu Zhongyue explained. As Song Shi’an tried to wave off the idea, Xu Zhongyue continued, “This is how it should be.”
In truth, not all husbands handed over their earnings to their spouses. Gao Mingda and even Song Yuchun did not follow such practices.
Opening the box, Xu Zhongyue revealed neatly arranged silver ingots inside.
“There are six hundred taels here for you to manage. I’ll keep ten taels with me. I’ll pay for the pigs in advance, and I’ll take care of all the day-to-day expenses.” Xu Zhongyue meticulously detailed the financial situation to Song Shi’an.
“If you make any money in the future, save it,” Xu Zhongyue advised. He believed that in marriage, both spouses should contribute to their own clothing, food, and daily expenses.
Each partner should be responsible for managing their finances, with the wife being the one to save the family’s wealth. The more money the wife saves, the more secure he’ll feel, and he’ll no longer be anxious about their livelihood.
Song Shi’an bit his lower lip, the soft flesh sandwiched between his teeth, and a surge of emotion filled his heart. “It’s such a significant amount of money… I feel bad keeping it.”
He couldn’t help but feel ashamed. He thought about his own business when he ran a noodle shop, earning hundreds of thousands each month, yet he was reluctant to entrust his bank cards and property documents to anyone else.
Seeing his furrowed brow and the doubt in his eyes, Xu Zhongyue held him close in a reassuring embrace. “It’s really not difficult for me to make money. The first two hundred taels here were saved from my earnings as a butcher, and the rest I earned as a hunter. These are just a start. Any money I make in the future will still be handed over to you to keep.”
Song Shi’an asked with curiosity, “Can you really make that much money as a hunter?”
Xu Zhongyue replied, “If you’re lucky and catch a male deer, the antlers and blood alone can fetch you fifty or sixty taels. The deer meat is not only delicious but also a sought-after delicacy in several large restaurants in town, fetching thirty or forty taels. While fox meat may not be delicious, the entire fox pelt can be sold for twenty or thirty taels. If it’s a silver fox pelt, the price can double.”
He could see Song Shi’an’s genuine interest in the stories of hunting in the mountains.
Song Shi’an nodded in approval, and then hesitated as he recalled the scars on Xu Zhongyue’s body, the result of injuries more than once. His heart ached when he thought of it, and he couldn’t help but touch one of the scars.
“Let’s not talk about it,” Song Shi’an suggested. “From now on, you can be a butcher, and I’ll run a restaurant. It’s safer.” As he touched the scars on Xu Zhongyue’s body, he felt a deep sense of distress.
After their passionate night together, Song Shi’an felt an even closer connection to the man in front of him. The experience had brought them closer than anyone else.
Xu Zhongyue appreciated Song Shi’an’s caring nature but gently shook his head. “I’ve never been injured while hunting.”
While it was true that he sometimes sustained scratches from branches or thorns, his accuracy with the bow and arrow was unparalleled. He had the strength to wrestle and subdue wild animals, even when unarmed.
“My old wounds were from a time when Uncle Liu rescued me from the river,” Xu Zhongyue explained. “Perhaps they were war injuries. I don’t remember them well.”
Song Shi’an was worried and asked if it hurt now. Xu Zhongyue hesitated for a moment. “Well, perhaps it hurts a little sometimes.”
Song Shi’an was immediately concerned. “What should we do? How can I help you? Should we go see a doctor?”
He was worried that these old injuries might be like the old leg injury and flare up when it rained.
Xu Zhongyue didn’t tie his hair when he was at home, and as he leaned in to say something to Song Shi’an, his long hair tickled Song Shi’an’s skin. The words he spoke turned Song Shi’an’s worry into a mix of embarrassment and anger, and his thousand words were replaced by another punch to Xu Zhongyue’s chest.
“I shouldn’t have pitied you. Damn it!”
.
On the third day after their wedding, it was time for them to return home.
Xu Zhongyue had thoughtfully prepared preserved meat, preserved peaches, and four packages of high-quality pastries in advance. He also visited a cloth store and bought a piece of cotton cloth and a piece of thin silk. He brought all these items with him to visit Aunt Liu and her two daughters.
When Aunt Liu opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of the young couple happily talking and laughing. It was heartwarming to see that the newlyweds were already so close. Even though some traditional people might not be used to young couples displaying affection, Aunt Liu was not one of them.
She and her sister, who had unfortunately passed away, both had difficult marriages with unreliable husbands. Witnessing the loving relationship between her nephew and his husband made her feel sweeter than honey.
Liu Yu, Song Shi’an’s cousin, came to the door as well. She greeted her cousin and his husband politely. Xu Zhongyue took out the sheet of peach preserves and offered it to Liu Yu.
Aunt Liu inquired about Liu Lu, and Liu Yu informed them that she had not seen her in the morning. However, she mentioned that Liu Lu was present and indicated that she was up to something important, advising everyone not to disturb her.
Curiosity piqued; they followed Liu Yu to find out what Liu Lu was doing. They approached a tree, and amid some cooing sounds, the chickens scurried away. The chicks that Song Shi’an had brought home had grown, and two of them were now laying eggs.
Before getting married, he asked Aunt Liu and his cousin to have an egg each every day to improve their health. They could collect three or four eggs each day, but Aunt Liu would only use one, saving the rest to send to Song Shi’an every few days.
They soon spotted Liu Lu, who was bent over the chicken coop with her short legs, squatting above a grass nest where five or six eggs were nestled. She was making an earnest effort.
Aunt Liu couldn’t help but ask, “What are you doing?”
Liu Lu replied with great seriousness, “These chicken mothers are very irresponsible and refuse to hatch their eggs. I’m here to help them hatch chicks!”
Her little face was flushed, and her forehead was covered in sweat, but she was determined to stay put. “The chicks haven’t come out yet, so I can’t move. Don’t disturb me!”
Aunt Liu was amused and couldn’t help but give Liu Lu a gentle scolding. “We raise hens, and we don’t even have a crowing rooster. What are you trying to hatch?”
Song Shi’an found his little cousin incredibly adorable and kept chuckling with Aunt Liu. When he turned to look at Xu Zhongyue, he saw Xu Zhongyue smiling and gazing at Liu Lu with a gentle expression.
Their eyes met, and Xu Zhongyue whispered, “In the future, we’ll have a cute little daughter like her too.”