Chapter 55: Jealousy
Qingyan admitted he was feeling jealous, though not because he suspected anything. He had been living closely with Qiu Henian for half a year, and he knew what kind of person Qiu Henian was.
But that didn’t stop him from feeling uneasy when he saw Qiu Henian carrying that basket.
Qingyan didn’t act as usual. Even though Qiu Henian emphasized how dirty he was, Qingyan would usually go over and at least give him a kiss.
Sitting on a low stool, Qingyan touched his chin with his thumb, tilted his head in a scrutinizing manner, and gently asked, “My lord, where did this come from?”
Qiu Henian had ash on him. In a rush to clean up and change clothes, and help with cooking, he keenly sensed something wrong with his husband. So he stopped at the doorway, glanced at Qingyan’s face, but couldn’t figure out what it was.
He then thrust the basket into Qingyan’s hands and said, “It’s from Xiao Zhuang’s mother. I haven’t had a chance to see what’s inside. You take a look first.”
After saying that, he didn’t go inside to clean up but stood in place, lowered his head to look at Qingyan, silently counting “one, two, three” in his heart.
After counting three, the usual hug and kiss that happened right after coming home didn’t occur.
Qingyan’s attention wasn’t on him; his gaze was inexplicably fixed on the basket he had just placed on the ground.
Qiu Henian flicked his fingers at his side, but in the end, couldn’t restrain his inner desire. He bent over and turned his head to kiss the person sitting there.
Qingyan suddenly came back to his senses, immediately turned his head to avoid it, then brushed his hand over the silk cloth on the basket, lowered his head to take a look.
His face changed, his eyebrows raised, and he smirked coldly, “Haha, not only did Xiao Zhuang’s mother send you a basket of oranges, but she also put a pair of concentric knots* in it?”
*T/N: Something that a person would give to his/her lover
Qiu Henian looked at the contents of the basket in surprise, obviously unaware.
Qingyan stood up, lightly tapped Qiu Henian’s forehead with his finger, and said, “You really make people worry about you without even knowing it!”
…
These days, the shop wasn’t as busy. In the afternoon, Sanyao came to find Qiu Henian for help.
He had a good relationship with a friend whose father was about to celebrate his birthday. Sanyao couldn’t figure out what to give, but then Qiuniang suggested asking his second brother to write a couplet for the birthday.
After it was written, he would send it to the town to be mounted. On the day of the birthday banquet, it would be taken to hang on the wall of the old man’s house, which was more decent.
Sanyao rarely asked him for anything, and since the shop wasn’t busy at the moment, Qiu Henian naturally agreed. Sanyao had everything ready like paper and ink, and Qiu Henian went home to write it.
Before leaving, he instructed Xiao Zhuang to put out the fire in the stove, and Xiao Zhuang agreed.
After sending off his master and the relatives of his master’s family, Xiao Zhuang went to tend to the stove. By now, the coal was almost burnt out, with a smoldering core in the middle. He poked it with a stove hook, and suddenly a large puff of black ash sprayed out, covering his face.
Xiao Zhuang quickly stepped back, blinking ash all over, but didn’t notice that his face was already darkened.
Just then, a deliberately sweet voice came from the doorway, “Brother, are you busy?”
Xiao Zhuang turned back to see a young man of about eighteen or nineteen standing at the door, peering inside, with a basket slung over his arm.
This young man was quite handsome, slim, with a smile on his face, looking a bit shyly at him.
Xiao Zhuang scratched his head, “You… you’re calling me brother?”
He had just turned sixteen not long ago.
The young man blushed apologetically and nodded hesitantly.
Xiao Zhuang’s mouth twitched. “This isn’t quite appropriate.”
The young man immediately frowned, revealing a tearful expression. “Brother, do you dislike Xiang’er? It took Xiang’er a lot of courage to call you brother.”
Xiao Zhuang hadn’t expected the situation to be so serious.
He hurriedly said, “You can call me whatever you want, please don’t cry.”
The young man hesitated, looked up at Xiao Zhuang, then immediately lowered his head again and whispered, “There are things I’m not sure if I should say. I just met Brother Qingyan on the road.”
“Oh, I see.”
Xiao Zhuang was completely puzzled, not understanding why his master’s wife would stutter like this.
Seeing that Xiao Zhuang didn’t ask further, the young man bit his lip and said, “Brother Qingyan seemed really happy. His husband is busy working in the shop every day, while he can go to town without worries to eat, drink, and have fun. If I were him, I wouldn’t treat my husband like this.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhuang immediately tensed up. Speaking ill of their marriage behind his master’s back was a big mistake. If his master found out, he might kick him out immediately.
But this boy wasn’t someone to be trifled with. Xiao Zhuang could only reply with a straight face, “It’s not good to speak like that.”
The young man bit his lip again, and seeing Xiao Zhuang’s displeased tone, he started to cry, stammering and stuttering.
Xiao Zhuang was stunned watching this scene. He scratched his head nervously and craned his neck, looking towards the door.
He said, “Hey, big brother, don’t cry in the shop. If someone sees, they’ll think I’m bullying you!”
“What did you call me?”
The young man cried even louder upon hearing this, and he shoved the basket he was holding into Xiao Zhuang’s hands, crying, “Xiang’er likes you, that’s why he came to find you and prepared a gift for you. You can’t treat Xiang’er like this.”
“Huh?”
Xiao Zhuang held the basket, his mouth gaping open, revealing a bright smile against his darkened face.
Seeing him in this foolish state, the young man stomped his foot, and his tears disappeared in an instant. He blushed shyly and smiled, saying, “Brother, I’ll come see you again in a few days.”
Then he dashed out shyly, and soon disappeared.
Alone in the shop, Xiao Zhuang looked down at the basket, his head buzzing, his face burning.
“He likes… likes me?”
Xiao Zhuang thought the young man was somewhat abnormal, but being so young, and never having anyone express love to him before, he couldn’t help but feel a bit excited.
His heart was conflicted and tangled.
So, when Qiu Henian returned to the shop, he saw the fire in the stove still barely burning, not yet extinguished. His apprentice had a face covered in black, holding a basket in one hand and a stove hook in the other, standing in the shop, sometimes grinning foolishly and sometimes frowning.
Qiu Henian scolded, “Xiao Zhuang, I told you to put out the fire in the stove. Where did you go?”
Xiao Zhuang shivered, watching his master pick up the broom, clearly about to give him a few swats.
Panicking, Xiao Zhuang had a sudden idea.
He quickly handed the basket to his master and said hastily, “My mother just came by and gave this to you. We had a chat. I didn’t mean to disobey your orders.”
Xiao Zhuang’s family was worried that Qiu Henian would think Xiao Zhuang was stupid, so they sent gifts every now and then.
Their family conditions weren’t very good, so they couldn’t afford nice things. They usually sent steamed buns or pickled vegetables they made themselves, occasionally something more expensive like eggs.
Qiu Henian generally didn’t accept gifts, but after refusing several times, he would eventually accept one to ease Xiao Zhuang’s parents’ worries.
So when Xiao Zhuang said this, Qiu Henian believed him. That night, he took the basket home.
…
On the other side, Liu Xiang went straight home after leaving the shop. On the way, he kept thinking about what his parents had said about Qiu Henian: that he had a scary appearance and a cold personality, not inclined to interact with people.
But today, Liu Xiang found him to be a big fool who lost his composure upon seeing him. If he visited the shop a few more times, he was sure he could win him over.
He hadn’t intended to be someone’s underling, but his mother had said she had seen all the eligible bachelors in the village, and Qiu Henian was the only one who could earn money, had no in-laws to serve, and although Qingyan was beautiful, he couldn’t bear children. If he could marry into that family and have a son and a daughter, who would have the final say at home in the future was uncertain.
Liu Xiang returned home triumphantly and went to tell his parents the good news.
Meanwhile, at the west end of the village, Qiu Henian told Qingyan how he had come by the basket.
Qingyan frowned and said, “Tomorrow when I go to the shop, I’ll ask Xiao Zhuang what exactly happened.”
This was likely a misunderstanding, but Qingyan didn’t want to get entangled with that family.
Moreover, if it wasn’t handled well, it could lead to a bad reputation. In such a small village, the old folks loved to gossip at the crossroads, and rumors could easily spread and become unpleasant.
If Liu Youfu and Zhang Ju started arguing and said that Liu Xiang hadn’t yet married, it would tarnish his reputation. If they were held responsible for it, they would be at a disadvantage.
Therefore, Qingyan said, “Tomorrow I’ll go with you to ask Xiao Zhuang.”
Qiu Henian agreed.
…
In the evening, after dinner and tidying up, Qiu Henian carried firewood inside. Qingyan added water to the pot, and they were going to heat it for a bath.
Qingyan finished washing first, rummaged in the cabinet for a while, found the shirt he was looking for, put it on, returned to the bed, and like usual, lifted the curtain and waited for Qiu Henian to finish washing.
After a while, the sound of water ceased, replaced by the rustling of drying off and getting dressed.
When Qiu Henian lifted the curtain, Qingyan wrapped himself in the blanket up to his chin, his long hair scattered on both sides of his cheeks and pillow.
Qiu Henian intended to turn and blow out the oil lamp, but Qingyan stopped him with a soft voice, “Wait a moment.”
Qiu Henian glanced at Qingyan, who kept his eyes lowered.
When Qiu Henian lay down beside him, Qingyan spoke slowly, “How many days has it been?”
Qiu Henian didn’t ask what he meant by “how many days.”
He simply answered, “Two months.”
Qingyan’s eyelashes fluttered. “You counted so precisely?”
Qiu Henian’s throat bobbed. “I’ve been counting every day.”
Qingyan blushed.
“Why do you count every day?”
Qiu Henian’s voice was hoarse.
“I’ve told you before, I’m not lying to you… I think about it every night.”
Swish!
Qingyan suddenly threw off the blanket covering him and sat up, revealing himself in only a thin veil of clothing. His shoulders were exposed, and his two slender, fair legs were folded together, slightly bent.
In the dim light of the oil lamp, his skin looked warm and moist, the veil of clothing partly covering and partly revealing, more provocative than if fully exposed.
Qiu Henian also sat up abruptly, his eyes fixed on him like a hawk or falcon, his chest rising and falling increasingly rapidly.
Qingyan reached out a hand to him, and Qiu Henian grasped that hand, pulling him over onto his lap.
One high, one low, they gazed closely at each other, their hot breaths brushing against each other’s faces.
“Aren’t you afraid?” Qiu Henian asked hoarsely.
Qingyan shook his head, his lips blushing slightly, showing a shallow sense of unease.
“I don’t know.”
Qiu Henian looked at him intently, not missing any subtle expression.
After a while, he sighed softly, smiled, and raised his hand to tidy Qingyan’s long hair, saying, “Do you want to talk to me for a while?”
“Mm-hmm,” Qingyan nodded.
The two lay down side by side, facing each other. Qiu Henian held Qingyan in his arms.
In the cool autumn weather, lying so close together in the warm bed, it was a very comfortable thing.
Qiu Henian’s fingers twisted the corner of Qingyan’s clothing, restraining the chaos in his heart, and asked, “When did you buy this?”
Qingyan said, “Just a few days ago. I thought I’d wear it outside my robe next spring.”
Qiu Henian asked again, “Autumn in the north is short. Winter is coming soon. Have you bought enough winter clothes?”
Qingyan nodded.
“I’ve bought them all. Yours and mine. A few days ago, Qiuniang and I went to pick them out together. That shop is good, with good fabric and reasonable prices.”
The two also chatted about household chores, like how many eggs the chickens laid today, and that they needed to put rat poison in the newly built warehouse. They also discussed whether they should raise a cat to catch mice. Later, they talked about Hunter Liu’s family, Erxi, and the plan to go hunting in the mountains this winter.
As they talked, Qingyan nestled into Qiu Henian’s arms, his soft and watery face rubbing against his, mumbled vaguely, “I’m jealous.”
Qiu Henian had long noticed something, but now that his husband had said it himself, he felt inexplicably joyful, feeling both sorry and gratified.
His warm big hand rubbed Qingyan’s back, the cool silk of the veil rubbing against his palm, making him feel itchy inside.
“Qingyan…”
Qiu Henian called out Qingyan’s name, laying him down on the bed again, and held him in his arms.
His big hands continued to rub his back, and he asked softly, “Are you tired?”
Qingyan nodded.
Qiu Henian said, “Close your eyes and sleep.”
Qingyan closed his eyes.
After a while, he opened his eyes again and said, “The silk clothes are itchy.”
Qiu Henian sighed and, reaching into the blanket, pulled a few times until the silk clothes were taken out and thrown to the bed edge.
This time, Qingyan felt comfortable, closed his eyes again, and was about to fall asleep.
But not long after, he opened his eyes again.
Qiu Henian looked down at him. “What’s wrong?”
Qingyan said, “Your underclothes are too rough. It’s uncomfortable.”
Qiu Henian’s forehead vein bulged, but he still compromised. With a rustling noise in the blanket, the underclothes were also thrown to the bed edge.
The lamp went out.
In the quiet darkness, only the distant sound of dogs barking could be heard.
After a while, in the quiet bed curtain, there suddenly came a sound.
Qiu Henian reached out and touched it, feeling wetness on his hand.
His voice was hoarse as he asked, “Qingyan, are you still not asleep?”
After a moment, when he saw the restraint in his eyes, he thought the other party would not respond.
After a while, Qingyan finally said, “Hmm.”
The bed curtain fell silent again for a while. After that, in the darkness, the blanket was suddenly rudely lifted aside. Qiu Henian sat up from the bed, groped at the head of the bed for a moment, and didn’t find what he was looking for.
A slender hand came softy over and helped him find the black wristband. Qiu Henian put it on.
He grabbed both ankles without any prologue and sent himself directly.
And the bearer, who had been empty for two months, also didn’t feel any discomfort, joyously opening up.
Spoiler for the Next Chapter:
His hand, which was wiping, was grabbed. Qingyan stopped his movements blankly and raised his eyes to look.
