Butcher Fulang’s Noodle Shop - Chapter 52
Along the way, he had heard Xu Shuqing recalling the past. Xu Zhongyue, who had recovered his memory, had told the emperor before the last battle that regardless of victory or defeat, he would disarm and return to farming fields.
The emperor was shocked and said that he would be granted a title of marquis and the official position of a first-class official.
Xu Zhongyue told the emperor that, considering his contributions to the war, he preferred to allocate all the rewards to his younger brother, Xu Shuqing. Xu Zhongyue could understand his past self’s true thoughts.
Throughout history, military generals with notable achievements often faced the risk of betrayal and manipulation.
In times of chaos, emperors desired generals to restore order, but in peacetime, they feared potential rebellions. With no intention of pursuing glory, Xu Zhongyue chose to pass on the credit to his biological brother, Xu Shuqing.
Despite being a man with high rank, he believed his brother’s loyalty would remain steadfast.
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The news of Xu Zhongyue’s return spread quickly. Aunt Liu was the first to know. Song Shi’an appeared unfazed.
After completing her daily work at the hot dry noodles stall, she, along with her two daughters, would pack up and come over to keep him company as usual.
Upon seeing Xu Zhongyue, her eyes widened in shock. To avoid startling her, he held his breath. After she had calmed down, he asked, “Aunt, how have you and your daughters been these days?”
“Okay, okay!”
Ye Du and the other brothers also hurried over, laughing and shouting upon seeing Xu Zhongyue, behaving like a few giant monkeys. Song Shi’an asked them to buy two kilograms of good wine.
Aunt Liu slaughtered a young rooster at night and prepared a large pot of chicken stewed with mushrooms, ensuring that Xu Zhongyue and the skeptical Xu Shuqing could eat to their hearts’ content.
At night, Xu Zhongyue helped his wife wash up and sleep, pressing his head against his wife’s belly with a lot of emotion. Song Shi’an advised, “You’d better go to the capital.”
Xu Zhongyue raised his eyes, looking at him with starry eyes without blinking.
Song Shi’an touched his temples feeling a little melancholy, memorizing the outline of his facial features bit by bit. He said slowly, “You’d better go to the capital. What your brother said doesn’t seem to be fake. After all, you should go to see. If he is connected by blood with you, if he really does something bad, no matter how wonderful our life is, it won’t be beautiful.”
Seeing Xu Zhongyue staring at him as if fearing he might gone, Song Shi’an smiled again and said, “Go back quickly; I will always be here waiting for you.”
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Three days later, Xu Zhongyue and his little brother Xu Shuqing were on the road together.
Xu Shuqing and the groom were riding in the carriage, with Xu Zhongyue driving. The horse ran so fast that even the groom, who had been driving for a lifetime, got carsick.
After they all left, Aunt Liu sighed and said half-complainingly, “I heard that the capital is prosperous. If he really goes to become an official, will he come back?”
Song Shi’an just smiled faintly. Of course, he had already thought clearly.
As the old saying goes, a man had his ambitions in all directions. Xu Zhongyue’s willingness to stay in Qingjiang Town was the result of him having no choice after losing his memory, or whether he had seen all the prosperity and was only willing to stay by his side. He hoped Xu Zhongyue would think clearly.
Reluctantly staying would only create a pair of resentful couples in the long years, which was not comfortable.
For more than a month after this, Song Shi’an had a smile on his face, and he would go for a walk from time to time. Grandma Yan sneaked over twice, comforting Song Shi’an and saying, “Men are all bastard who like the new and hate the old. Don’t worry, since Butcher Xu left for wealth and glory, I still have several good men here, all of them are good-looking, and they are all unmarried… Yes, I will introduce him to be the stepfather of your baby.”
It was not difficult to judge from Grandma Yan’s words, there were a lot of rumors about Xu Zhongyue’s departure in Qingjiang Town. It was really difficult for Aunt Liu, Aunt He, Ye Du, and Mr. Zhang to keep it a secret. After all, a big man suddenly couldn’t be seen everywhere.
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The old doctor in Yuezhou City checked Song Shi’an’s pulse and calculated that he would give birth in May. Aunt Liu had been preparing for the birth since the beginning of May. Ye Du also did not go back to his home for the time being and made an appointment with Aunt Liu to live together. There are elders in Shuimo Fang Alley, so it was not considered disrespectful for a young man to live there.
Unexpectedly, the whole month of May was spent peacefully without a bump.
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Song Shi’an was greedy these days and didn’t like to eat meals. He only liked to eat melons. Aunt Liu bought him basket after basket but she couldn’t help nagging him.
“If you have a bad stomach, let’s see how you’re going to cry!”
Song Shi’an frowned slightly, feeling a twinge in his stomach. Could it be that eating two melons in a row since morning had caused some trouble?
Not daring to speak directly for fear of Aunt Liu’s complaints, he held the bowl in one hand and carefully reached into his robe, using the other hand to touch his belly.
It hurt…
When Aunt Liu noticed his distressed expression, she became alarmed. As she touched the chair under him, her hands came away wet.
“Ah, this is…this is…Ye Du!”
Ye Du jumped up and hurried out to fetch the midwife. Like a rabbit in a hurry, he bumped his head against the sycamore tree outside the door. The collision caused two magpies on the tree to chirp and fly away.
As he rushed back with the midwife on his back, a crowd had gathered to watch the commotion.