Chapter 154
Jindou was in a hurry and couldn’t explain clearly, pointing and stomping towards the neighboring room. Qingyan immediately understood and hurried into the next room to see.
There, he saw a row of little ones wriggling under Ah Miao’s belly, all with their eyes closed, nuzzling around for milk.
Upon a rough count, there were a total of six kittens. Only one kitten had the same coat color as its mother, while the rest were mostly orange tabbies. There was even one tiny kitten that was completely black.
Ah Miao usually liked to wander outside, and Qingyan’s courtyard and backyard often had cats visiting. They would meow from the windowsill upon arrival, and even upon seeing people inside, they wouldn’t hide unless approached closely. They would agilely jump away and miaow from a further distance.
If Ah Miao was at home and heard any noise, she would lazily raise her head, miaow a couple of times if in a good mood, and sometimes lie back down without paying any attention to anyone.
Qingyan was familiar with the two cats that frequently visited. One was a calico and the other was a black cat.
Qingyan had speculated on the father of Ah Miao’s kittens and had initially thought the black cat was more likely. That cat was large in size, with sleek fur that shimmered like water, bright and alert eyes, and a robust appearance. Even by human standards, it was the attractive type.
Moreover, it had more courage than the other cat. Whenever it saw people, the calico cat would run off first, while the black cat would wait until people approached closely before cautiously jumping away.
Ah Miao was a dominant figure in the village and probably didn’t fancy the timid one.
Qingyan and Jindou squatted in front of the kitten nest, cautiously touching the soft fur of the kittens. Ah Miao glanced at them but showed no signs of hostility or rejection. After looking at them for a while, she lay back down.
Qingyan gently stroked Ah Miao’s head and said, “You’ve worked hard, Ah Miao. I’ll make something delicious for you later.”
After the kittens were born, Jindou underwent some changes. He used to run around the house loudly every day, and he had quite a loud voice. When Qingyan told him the kittens needed quiet, he actually became quiet. Every time he passed by the neighboring room, he tiptoed quietly, afraid of disturbing Ah Miao and the kittens.
When he went inside to see the kittens, he spoke softly each time.
When Qingyan made cat food, he also helped.
Qingyan didn’t mind him helping more and more. Whatever the child wanted to do, as long as it wasn’t dangerous, she let him try more. If he couldn’t finish it, she wouldn’t blame him.
He brought a low stool for Jindou, supporting him to stand on it, holding a long-handled ladle, stirring in the pot.
When the cat food was ready and cooled, Qingyan let him carry it to feed the cats himself.
Qingyan heard Jindou quietly say with satisfaction, “Ah Miao, isn’t the food I made delicious? You’re eating so happily!”
The calico cat ate so happily that Jindou rubbed his belly, looked at the cat bowl, and licked his lips.
Qingyan chuckled and carried him out of the room, stewing a bowl of chicken legs for him that night.
Jindou picked two chicken legs and handed them to his Dad and Father.
Qingyan noticed that while there wasn’t anything particularly special about Qiu Henian’s expression, he ate it slowly and carefully.
This child grew up day by day, gradually becoming responsible and understanding how to take care of people.
Zhang Wensheng occasionally came over to sit and see him writing with a small wooden stick on the ground,showing interest in teaching him.
After teaching, he said to Qiu Henian, “Your Jindou is smart and suitable for learning. If you don’t mind, I’ll teach him to read with Jiuliang next year.”
Qiu Henian hesitated a bit, “Isn’t it too early?”
When it comes to his own profession, Zhang Wensheng’s eyes lit up, “It’s not too early. Generally, children in our village enter private school at the age of four or five, but the big families in town and county have started enlightenment at the age of three!”
“Instrument, chess, calligraphy, and painting all depend on children’s efforts. It’s beneficial for them to start early. You can rest assured that it won’t be too difficult or boring at first,” Zhang Wensheng smiled.
“Otherwise, the child will cry and run home after a few days of study. I’ll start with interesting topics like geography and history, it’s like listening to stories, and they’ll gradually get into it.”
Qiu Henian glanced at Qingyan, nodded, and stood up, “Then we’ll trouble Mr. Zhang when the time comes.”
…
Xiao Zhuang had been drinking bitter herbal soup for two consecutive days. The first day was alright; he didn’t have any special reactions.
But by the second night, Xiao Zhuang tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
There must have been something potent in this concoction. Xiao Zhuang lay on his back in bed, too afraid to look at his sleeping brother beside him. Even though he couldn’t see, he could hear and smell.
His master’s wife had given Wu Shuang several bottles of ointments and perfumes. Xiao Zhuang didn’t understand what they were for.
Tonight when Wu Shuang was bathing, he sneaked out.
Before leaving, he instructed Wu Shuang not to tidy up the bathtub and to wait for him to return to do so.
When he was about ready, and his mother was urging him incessantly, he returned to his room.
As soon as he opened the door to the inner room, a light steam carrying a faint fragrance greeted him. Xiao Zhuang instinctively took a breath, his heart beating faster.
The bathtub was in the room, with Wu Shuang sitting on the edge of the bed, combing his long hair and looking at him.
Clearly, he was still dressed in both his inner and outer garments. Xiao Zhuang, however, felt a sudden warmth inside him for no reason at all. His nose tingled. Hastily, he turned his back, afraid to look again.
Behind him, Wu Shuang asked, “Aren’t you going to wash?”
Xiao Zhuang stammered, “I just washed in my little brother’s room next door.”
Wu Shuang responded with a simple “Oh.”
Xiao Zhuang pondered nervously how he would explain if Wu Shuang asked why he didn’t bathe in their room.
His hand instinctively reached into the bathtub, lightly stirring the water’s surface with his fingertips. But Wu Shuang remained silent.
When Xiao Zhuang finally realized what he was doing, he found himself sniffing his wet fingers at the tip of his nose. He quickly withdrew his hand, feeling guilty, and glanced back to find Wu Shuang had already dried his hair and was lying on the bed, turned away from him, sleeping.
Xiao Zhuang breathed a sigh of relief, afraid to think further, and quickly got to work.
But even after finishing his tasks and lying down in bed, he couldn’t fall asleep no matter what.
When he woke up in the morning, Xiao Zhuang had two large dark circles under his eyes. His mother saw them and thought he had exerted himself greatly that night, cheerfully giving him and Wu Shuang the boiled eggs while his younger siblings watched, without eating any themselves.
During the day, Xiao Zhuang finished his work at the shop and then took leave from his master, heading to a neighboring village.
At the old doctor’s place, he asked to see the prescription for the medicine he had been drinking. The young apprentice painstakingly explained each ingredient’s effects to him, and Xiao Zhuang listened attentively.
Most of the herbs were for clearing heat and promoting diuresis. Even without illness, they wouldn’t have a major impact on the body if consumed.
However, one herb in particular, used for tonifying the kidneys and boosting yang energy, was very potent and drying.
Xiao Zhuang asked the apprentice, “Would there be any problems if someone without illness consumes too much of this medicine?”
The apprentice nodded, saying, “With such a potent herb, if taken indiscriminately, it could definitely cause problems.”
Xiao Zhuang felt a pang of worry and asked, “What kind of problems?”
“If someone’s kidneys aren’t deficient and their essence isn’t weak, taking this could lead to trouble,” the apprentice said, glancing around and lowering his voice with a mischievous smile.
“Then, from dusk till dawn, you won’t be able to… lower your ‘golden spear’!”
Xiao Zhuang’s face turned pale, his mind buzzing.
He was dumbfounded!
