Butcher Fulang’s Noodle Shop - Chapter 25
Daybreak arrived early in the village, accompanied by the robust crowing of roosters, stirring both Song Shian and Xu Zhongyue from their slumber.
If they continued their ascent up the mountain, the path would grow increasingly rugged. Mules navigated the terrain slightly better than horses, but their hooves vulnerable to breakage. If it got broken on the way, it would be useless for them.
Before setting out, Xu Zhongyue left the mule cart at Brother Chen’s house, a moderately remote location in Chenliu Village. The spacious tile-roofed house with three entrances and a sizable backyard easily accommodated the mule cart.
Despite Xu Zhongyue’s intention to cover the fodder expenses, the eldest brother of the Chen family vehemently rejected the offer.
“The children gathered forage on the front hillside; why be so polite?”
A forceful slap on Xu Zhongyue’s hand left a red mark, a testament to the elder’s refusal to accept payment.
Prepared for a several-day stay in the mountains, Xu Zhongyue carried a bow and quiver slung across his shoulders, two gleaming long knives at his waist, and a large backpack on his back. Baskets on their backs held an assortment of provisions, including dried food, cured meat, fresh leafy vegetables from the Chen family, herbs to repel pests, and spare clothing.
Song Shi’an followed behind, empty-handed, as Xu Zhongyue had refused to share the load. Due to potential dangers and Song Shi’an’s lack of mountain-climbing experience, Xu Zhongyue took the lead.
The contrast between this mountain climbs and Song Shi’an’s experience in his past life was stark. The forests on Phoenix Mountain, at high altitude, were lush and green, and the grass on the rugged paths did not reach ankle height. Xu Zhongyue, with no pre-existing trail, carved the path ahead.
With a compass in his backpack, Xu Zhongyue could easily be navigated by listening to the stream’s sounds and relying on his keen eyes for direction. The mountains were more accessible here, adorned with rows of peach, plum, and apricot trees. Birds chirped overhead, but visible game animals were scarce.
Occasionally encountering herb collectors and villagers harvesting wild fruits, they entered the boundary of Phoenix Mountain, where towering mountains imparted a sense of awe. Armed with a stick and a sharp sickle, Xu Zhongyue skillfully cleared the path, creating a route through the dense vegetation.
The silence was occasionally broken by the melodious chirping of birds, the gurgling of water, and the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze. As hunger set in, they paused to rest, quenching their thirst with cold water from bamboo tubes and savoring white flour steamed buns with beef belly braised by Song Shi’an the previous night.
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Upon reaching a steep slope, Xu Zhongyue deftly inserted the sickle and a long bamboo stick into the basket, using them as aids to pull up the vines carpeting the ground. Hands and feet working in harmony, he ascended two or three steps, carving out shallow pits with his feet for stability. Reaching down, he extended a helping hand to Song Shi’an, who lacked the arm strength to ascend unassisted.
Finally conquering the summit, Song Shi’an, looking back at the base of the mountain, felt genuine happiness and pride at their accomplishment.
Observing the rosy smile on his wife’s face, Xu Zhongyue reminisced about the countless solitary climbs in the past. The camaraderie shared on this journey made the experience uniquely delightful.
“Wipe the sweat. It’s cold on the mountain. Blowing the cold air isn’t good,” Xu Zhongyue advised.
“Yeah!” Song Shi’an agreed, producing a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat, his gaze fixed on the house ahead.
In the secluded mountain forest, an open clearing housed the hunter’s dwelling, hidden by a tall stone wall. Curiosity prompted Song Shi’an to touch the dusty, rough wall, asking, “Did you build this?”
The stones, varying in size, were neatly arranged, the gaps filled with plaster, creating a remarkably smooth surface.
“I repaired some sections that had collapsed or were damaged. However, the original construction was likely done by hunters before my time. When I first arrived, I climbed over the wall to peek inside. The house had been abandoned for a long time.”
Xu Zhongyue explained, adding, “I heard in Chenliu Village that an old hunter used to frequent these mountains. He hunted and occasionally came down for supplies. During the war, he vanished, leaving the house untouched. No bows, no arrows, no signs of life. It’s believed he encountered a wild beast during a hunt and perished.”
As Xu Zhongyue calmly recounted this, Song Shi’an felt unsettled, he looked at Xu Zhongyue’s handsome face and impulsively suggested, “Let’s not hunt anymore; let’s go back down the mountain!”
Xu Zhongyue, understanding his wife’s concern, reassured him, “Don’t worry, I’m here. Young and powerful, I know how to handle ferocious beasts if we encounter them.”
Unlocking the door, Xu Zhongyue ushered Song Shi’an into the yard. In the afternoon sunlight, they hung up a long rope, airing out mattresses and quilts for two hours. Afterward, they stowed backpacks in the kitchen, unpacking various dry foods and seasoning bottles.
“With summer comes common snakes in the mountains, so we have to take precautions,” Xu Zhongyue mentioned.
Without life-saving serum, a bite from certain snakes like the five-step snake, cobra, or green bamboo could be fatal, requiring drastic measures for survival.
Xu Zhongyue had prepared large bags of realgar, sulfur, and snake repellent in advance. Along the outer wall, he dug a shallow trench for the snake repellent, stood on a ladder to sprinkle realgar and sulfur, and planted impatiens, known to repel snakes, along the wall.
While impatiens was typically associated with playful activities, both rural dwellers and hunters recognized their effectiveness in deterring snakes, keeping them at bay with their distinctive scent.
In the past, Xu Zhongyue had planted several bushes both inside and outside the house. However, after becoming a butcher, he hadn’t returned to tend to them, and the once vibrant flowers had withered.
Having completed this task, Xu Zhongyue grabbed two additional wooden barrels. The stream wasn’t far from the house, less than a mile away. He made three round trips, filling the water jars and watering the impatiens with a spoonful of water.
Song Shi’an was equally busy, organizing the kitchen inside and out, and collecting a large bundle of firewood nearby. Once the water arrived, the stove’s flames danced, and the water in the pot boiled.
The mountain firewood proved efficient, and soon a pot of water was heated. Song Shi’an poured out the water, added rice for porridge, and then signaled Xu Zhongyue to join him after twisting a hot handkerchief.
“You’ve been busy all day; can your back still bear it? Take off your clothes quickly and show me!”
The mountain air grew colder in the afternoon, yet near the stove, it remained quite hot. When the fire blazed, Song Shi’an’s face and hands were already flushed.
The silent and handsome man gazed tenderly at his wife before untying his belt and removing his coarse cloth jacket.
The firelight revealed the young man’s robust and muscular upper body, the well-defined muscle lines accentuated by the day’s exertion.
Song Shi’an, seemingly composed, wiped Xu Zhongyue’s body with a hot handkerchief, but his hands trembled slightly. Newlyweds typically turned off the lights at night, making him a bit embarrassed to see the man’s body so brightly illuminated.
In the past, he would have merely envied Butcher Xu’s slender and strong figure without blushing or trembling.
As time passed, he had changed.
Moving to the back, Song Shi’an’s head pounded.
The basket of water must be heavy, and after multiple trips for water, Xu Zhongyue’s shoulders and back bore two deep marks.
He twisted the hot handkerchief, pressed it with his palms, and massaged back and forth to alleviate the accumulated tension, ensuring Xu Zhongyue wouldn’t feel more discomfort the next day.
Xu Zhongyue lowered his eyelashes, feeling the tender movements of his wife’s palms on his muscles.
In the deep mountains, where only the two of them shared their feelings freely, Xu Zhongyue held Song Shi’an’s thin, white forearm and kissed him on the cheek, then moved to the red mark between his eyebrows.
It wasn’t until Song Shi’an pushed his shoulder breathlessly, muttering, “The rice is about to boil,” that, he let the shuanger go.
On their first night in the mountains, dinner was sumptuous. Song Shi’an sliced open the pre-prepared dry food pancake, filling it with thin strips of beef belly, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and chili peppers, and chopped, washed, and cooked wild vegetables.
He also wrapped a few eggs in straw, beat egg yolks and green onions into the porridge, and cut the red oil duck eggs in half, revealing fragrant red oil yolks like blooming oily flowers.
The two enjoyed a delightful meal.
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Afterward, Song Shi’an stretched out and felt the fatigue in his legs and feet.
Song Shi’an had prepared the food, and Xu Zhongyue quickly cleared the dishes, washed them, and brought the wooden bucket over. Together, they soaked their feet to alleviate their fatigue.
In reality, Song Shi’an wanted a good bath at night, but Xu Zhongyue insisted against it, citing the cold mountain temperatures. He suggested that bathing and washing hair could only be done in the morning, and for the night, a comforting foot soak would suffice.
Xu Zhongyue’s feet appeared slender and elegant at first glance, but when they entered the bucket, their size became apparent—they completely filled the bottom. Playfully, Song Shi’an placed his feet on Xu Zhongyue’s insteps.
With a faint smile, Xu Zhongyue leaned over, touching his wife’s smooth ankle, his fingers gently moving along the sole of the foot.
At first, Song Shi’an laughed, but tension crept in. “You. What do you want to do?”
“You’ve walked a lot; I’ll give you a foot massage. It’ll ease the soreness for tomorrow.”
As he spoke, Xu Zhongyue held his wife’s white feet with one hand while the other clenched into a fist, using the protruding edges to apply pressure to the acupuncture points on the soles.
Xu Zhongyue’s massage was systematic, incorporating pressing, scraping, pinching, and rolling, leaving Song Shi’an feeling both sore and relaxed.
Despite his initial discomfort, Song Shi’an’s humming tone sounded like a soft plea, muffled as he covered his mouth with both hands.
Xu Zhongyue, moved by the pitiful yet endearing sight, was tempted to tease him more, eliciting louder cries and pleas for mercy.
After Xu Zhongyue meticulously wiped Song Shi’an’s feet, treating them like precious treasures, he carried him inside to rest.
Tormented but helpless, Song Shi’an complained, “Aren’t you tired?”
Xu Zhongyue whispered in his ear, “You underestimate me too much. It’s the strength of your husband.”
If the wife didn’t understand, Xu Zhongyue would naturally explain with actions and affection.