TL: Hua
Xu Lin slowly explained while holding his wife, “Ah Qing’s father is my father’s younger cousin, so he’s my uncle. However, that branch of the family had bad luck. After a cholera outbreak many years ago, only my uncle was left. So, my uncle left Xu Family Village and joined the military. He’s now an official in the capital. Ah Qing is my uncle’s youngest son. He’s been a bit frail since childhood, and his stay in our village is for recuperation.”
Xu Lin’s wife, Qiao Xiu’er, heard Xu Lin’s words, and a subtle gleam flashed in her eyes. She looked up at her husband and asked, “Do you know if this young man has an engagement in the capital?”
Xu Lin shook his head without thinking, “I haven’t heard of that.” Then he added, “I know what you’re thinking, but Ah Qing grew up in the capital, so his standards are naturally very high. I’m just afraid he might not fancy your cousin.”
Qiao Xiu’er sighed at this but ultimately still thought of her sister. She persuaded her husband, “Since the young man has no engagement, I think we could let Yaoyao try. Let’s keep Yaoyao at home for a while longer and create some opportunities for them to meet.”
Seeing that her husband’s face showed neither approval nor disapproval, Qiao Xiu’er continued, “If Yaoyao can really make things happen with that young man, then we’ll also be closer to your uncle’s family.”
Xu Lin stroked his wife’s delicate skin, his mind once again wandering. Finally, he mumbled a nod and pulled her back to that business again.
—
Li Yueyao lay in bed, recalling the delicate and clean appearance of the young man in her mind, and she couldn’t help but grab the quilt in her hand. It’s unknown what she was thinking, but her hands suddenly clenched a corner of the quilt, and the expression in her eyes also became deeper.
Xu Yanqing, of course, had no idea that a certain girl seemed to have fallen for him at first sight. He had just finished bathing and was applying ointment to himself. Qi Chen’s ointment was very effective; after a few applications, his belly slowly stopped itching.
Because of the wedding feast today, Taoist Master Xuanchen was still busy reviewing memorials, so the young master openly picked up a storybook and continued reading. He was almost finished with the story about the untainted holy monk and the alluring palace master of Hehuan Palace.
To track down the culprit who caused chaos in the martial arts world, the holy monk and the palace master traveled together. Also, because the holy monk accidentally swallowed the palace master’s blood pearl, the two seemed much closer than before. When the holy monk was being hunted, the palace master of Hehuan Palace rescued him, and they hid in a secret room, leading to a one-night stand.
The nonchalant young master couldn’t help but smack his lips. Sure enough, the content in storybooks didn’t bother with ethics; it was all about the thrill.
In a few quick motions, he finished the last few pages. The palace master of Hehuan Palace finally captivated the holy monk who was not of the mortal world. The young master casually tossed the storybook to the foot of the bed, falling into an emptiness of having no more books to read.
Stretching himself into a large “大” character shape on the bed, the young master couldn’t help but sigh: Good writing is hard to find… The feeling of a book drought is so uncomfortable.
While feeling uncomfortable, the young master drifted off to sleep in that unrestrained “大” character pose.
—
Yin Yanjun gathered the memorials he had just finished reviewing, slowly got up, and walked to the young master’s room.
Mu Yu had left a lamp for his young master on the bedside tea table to prevent the young master from getting up at night. Although his young master never got up at night, Young Doctor Qi said that pregnant people would get up more and more frequently in the later stages of pregnancy. So, Mu Yu was a little worried, even wanting to keep watch for his young master, but was mercilessly refused by the young master.
The lamplight made the young master’s face on the bed soft and exquisite. Yin Yanjun looked at the young master’s wild sleeping posture and couldn’t help but smile fondly. He gently gathered the young master’s two legs together and pulled the quilt over the young master’s body.
The young master changed his sleeping position a moment later, turning to sleep on his side, body slightly curled up.
Yin Yanjun sat by the bed and couldn’t help but reach out, placing his hand on the young master’s chubby cheek, gently kneading it a couple of times.
Perhaps feeling an itch, the young master raised his hand to press down on Taoist Master Xuanchen’s hand on his face, then very smoothly pulled the Taoist’s hand into his embrace.
The young master’s body temperature was a little higher than Yin Yanjun’s hand. Perhaps feeling this temperature was very comfortable, the young master then scooped up Yin Yanjun’s hand and rubbed it back and forth on his chubby cheek. Yin Yanjun only felt his heart soften like never before. He was already this old, yet his heart was still moved like an inexperienced young man. It was truly a bit embarrassing to admit.
After staring at the young master for a long time, Yin Yanjun finally stood up, intending to leave, but inadvertently caught sight of the storybook that the young master had tossed to the foot of the bed. He picked up the storybook.
The cover, which seemed ordinary, contained hidden depths. It was only for things like this that the young master was willing to put in a little extra thought.
Yin Yanjun thought this, then placed the storybook at the head of the bed. Finally, he gently stroked the young master’s cheek with his slender fingers before getting up and leaving.
—
The next day, Qi Chen put on new clothes and ran to Xu Yanqing early in the morning to show off. Xu Yanqing glanced at him, casually pointed to his own wardrobe, and scoffed, “Overestimating yourself.”
Alright, he was just an afterthought of Taoist Wen Jing. Qi Chen declared that he was withdrawing from this utterly unfair competition.
The nonchalant young master triumphantly crossed his legs, “It’s good that you admit defeat. Come here, I’ll show you something good!”
He reached for the storybook by the bed and handed it to Qi Chen, “It’s definitely a good book. I’ve finished it completely.”
Qi Chen’s eyes instantly brightened. He took the storybook and gave the young master a thumbs up, “As expected of Young Master, you’re truly generous.”
With that, he quickly ran back to his room to read the storybook.
After finishing the rich and flashy R-rated storybook, Xu Yanqing decided to go for something bland, so he casually picked up a detective novel and walked out of the room to settle into the reclining chair under the grape trellis.
Compared to those lighthearted and enjoyable storybooks, this kind of detective plot can be a bit nerve-wracking. However, the young master just read storybooks for the sake of reading; he never thought about the plot based on clues. Finally, when the case was solved by the protagonist group, he would suddenly exclaim: The protagonist group is indeed divine!
Xu Yanqing was engrossed in his reading when he suddenly heard a knock at the door. Mu Yu was washing his young master’s clothes in front of the water vat. Hearing the knock, he put down the clothes and looked up.
Standing at the door was a rather pretty young woman, carrying a bamboo basket that seemed to contain something.
Mu Yu was a little puzzled. “Who are you looking for, miss?”
As soon as Li Yueyao entered the door, she saw the young man under the grape trellis. Today, he had changed into a light yellow brocade robe, embroidered with exquisite patterns, looking very noble.
She bit her lip, composing herself, then looked up at Mu Yu by the water vat and softly explained, “I’m Li Yueyao. My family made a lot of egg pancakes, and Brother Lin asked me to bring some over.”
“Ah, ah, it’s Miss Yueyao!” Brothers Xu Lin and Xu Chuan occasionally sent over food, but today it was a young woman Mu Yu had never seen before.
Taking the items, Mu Yu said with a smile, “Please wait a moment, miss, I’ll empty the bamboo basket.” With that, he walked into the kitchen, took out the steaming hot egg pancakes, and casually put in a few bunches of purplish-red grapes.
Some of the grapes in the courtyard were already ripe. When Qi Chen, with his sharp eyes, spotted them, he directly picked all the ripe grapes.
Li Yueyao, who was waiting outside, had her gaze fixed on the young master in the reclining chair. However, the young master held a book in his hand, seemingly reading very intently, and never once gave her a glance.
Mu Yu soon came out of the kitchen and handed the bamboo basket with grapes to Li Yueyao, “The grapes in the courtyard are ripe. Miss, take a few bunches back to taste.”
“Thank you, brother.” Li Yueyao had no reason to stay any longer, so she just silently glanced at the grape trellis again and finally left feeling a little dejected.
When Yin Yanjun came out of his room, the young master lying under the grape trellis was deeply engrossed in his storybook.
At this moment, the young master was reading about a locked-room murder case. The protagonist group each had their own guesses, and the young master felt that everyone’s explanations made sense, so he eagerly continued reading.
In recent days, the young master no longer slept in, waking up early every morning. Yin Yanjun sat beside the young master, also dressed in a brand-new Taoist robe today. It was a wide-sleeved, long robe of dark cyan with white collar trim, and a light-colored sash tied around his waist. This attire accentuated his tall, slender figure, broad shoulders, and narrow waist, making him truly an extraordinary and unforgettable immortal Taoist.
The salted fish young master put down the storybook in his hand and gazed admiringly at Taoist Xuanchen. He couldn’t help but inwardly sigh again, wishing the Taoist weren’t an emperor but an ordinary monk. If that were the case, he would certainly be willing to put in some effort to win him over.
“Taoist Master looks really good in these clothes.” A slightly flirtatious smile appeared on the young master’s bright face.
Yin Yanjun lowered his gaze, “Young master also looks very good today.”
Xu Yanqing couldn’t help but blink upon hearing this, feeling the Taoist’s reply was a bit strange, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what was strange about it. So, the salted fish decided to give up, taking it as a compliment from the Taoist.
“Young master, come eat!” Mu Yu had finished washing and hanging the clothes, and Aunt Zhao had also finished making breakfast.
Qi Chen strolled out of his room and slung an arm over the young master’s shoulder, “As expected of a storybook Young Master reads, it’s really exciting!”
Xu Yanqing’s eyes sparkled with delight: Of course, the salted fish always had a discerning eye in this regard.
Today’s breakfast was quite sumptuous, with shiitake mushrooms and fatty chicken, spinach and tofu, five strands of shredded chicken, and a plate of egg pancakes.
Qi Chen took an egg pancake and tasted it. It was quite good, but he felt the taste wasn’t Aunt Zhao’s cooking, so he casually asked.
Mu Yu served his young master a bowl of porridge and, seeing the situation, said, “Xu Lin had his Miss Yaoyao send those over.”
“Miss?” Qi Chen took a bite of the egg pancake. “Didn’t he just get married yesterday? Where would he have a woman in his house?”
Mu Yu shook his head; he wasn’t very clear either.
At present, no one knew what role Miss Yueyao played, but they would soon find out clearly over the next six or seven days.
—
That lady named Li Yueyao was Xu Lin’s wife’s cousin. She was beautiful and intelligent, and very quick with her hands. At least, Xu Lin’s old mother often praised her.
Originally, such a young lady had nothing to do with their young master, but this young lady kept bringing things to their courtyard every three to five days.
Qi Chen couldn’t help but smack his lips. “Young master, what do you think this Miss Yaoyao means?” They weren’t usually this frequent in their interactions with Xu Lin’s family!
The young master only cared about eating, drinking, and having fun; he wasn’t concerned about a stranger’s intentions, nor did he have the time to care. Just as he was speaking, Li Yueyao knocked on the door again, carrying a basket.
Qi Chen blinked, looking a bit like someone who enjoys a good show. He spoke to Li Yueyao, “Miss Yueyao is here, come in and sit down quickly.”
The sun was scorching today, and Li Yueyao had some sweat on her face. Hearing Qi Chen’s words, a blush spread across her fair face, making her look delicate and shy. Finally, she hesitated for a moment but still walked towards the grape trellis.
“Sit, sit, what fresh food did you make today?” Qi Chen carried a stool over, his handsome face full of anticipation.
Li Yueyao gently curtsied to both of them, then sat down on the stool and carefully took out the items from the bamboo basket: “My cousin-in-law said Young Master Xu wasn’t feeling well, so I made some pastries with red dates, sesame seeds, walnuts… all ingredients good for vital energy and blood.”
Qi Chen thoughtfully glanced at the young master lounging in the reclining chair, then turned back and continued to speak gently to Li Yueyao, “Indeed, these are all good ingredients, very suitable for the young master’s health. Young miss is truly thoughtful.”
Li Yueyao shyly lowered her head, then looked up somewhat timidly at the young master in the reclining chair, “I just don’t know if Young Master Xu will like them?”
Xu Yanqing wasn’t a fool; it was obvious that this Miss Yaoyao was after him. But the key was that he was probably, maybe, possibly already gay. He couldn’t say what his situation was before, but at least now he was practically drooling over the Taoist’s body. This clearly meant he liked men, so he naturally couldn’t deceive a young girl.
So, the salted fish young master put down the storybook in his hand and gave a meaningful look to Qi Chen, who had originally intended to continue watching the show.
Qi Chen could only reluctantly find an excuse to return to his room.
Thus, only Xu Yanqing and Li Yueyao were left in the courtyard. Li Yueyao seemed a little nervous, as her hands were unconsciously fiddling with her clothes.
Xu Yanqing had always been unaccustomed to interacting with girls, so he felt an unexplainable awkwardness in his heart. Finally, he opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he saw Li Yueyao push the plate of pastries towards him: “Would the young master like to try some? I made them all this morning!”
Upon hearing this, Xu Yanqing’s gaze fell on the plate of pastries. The sugar-colored pastries were dotted with red dates, walnuts, and sesame seeds, looking very exquisite. This was also a girl’s thoughtful gesture, so Xu Yanqing could only awkwardly praise, “Young miss is skillful and truly thoughtful.”
Li Yueyao’s gaze softly landed on the exquisite-looking young man in front of her. Hearing his words, she chuckled softly, “Young master, please try some. If you like them, I’ll make them for you again in the future.”
These words were already a bit much. Xu Yanqing frowned tightly: “Thank you for your kindness, young miss, but there’s a difference between men and women. This courtyard of mine is mostly for men, and it’s not suitable for a young lady to visit. Our previous oversights were indeed thoughtless. We should avoid spreading rumors that might harm your reputation, young miss.”
Li Yueyao’s face instantly paled. She looked up slightly, disbelievingly gazing at the young man in front of her: “Young master… Young master, why are you suddenly saying this? Wasn’t everything fine before?”
“Young Miss is skillful, beautiful, and intelligent, but I am sickly and my fate is uncertain. Furthermore, I have no romantic interest in young Miss. If we continue to interact like this, it will inevitably lead to gossip.” Xu Yanqing had made his words very clear.
He had never been moved by any girl, or rather, he had never been moved by anyone. The only exception was Taoist Xuanchen. However, Xu Yanqing estimated that he was probably just lusting after the Taoist’s body. As he thought about it, he mentally stamped himself as a scumbag.
“I don’t mind that Young Master isn’t well…” Li Yueyao’s eyes began to redden, with a faint glimmer of tears.
She wanted to say more, but Xu Yanqing didn’t give her a chance to continue: “I have no romantic interest in young miss, and I naturally hope young miss can find your ideal husband soon.”
At this, Li Yueyao could no longer sit still. She picked up her small bamboo basket and ran out of the courtyard crying.
The salted fish young master lazily lay back. Qi Chen quickly ran out of the room: “What? Young Master isn’t interested in that Miss Yueyao?”
“I think you’ve become even more annoying lately.” Xu Yanqing sneered, “My father and mother wrote to me a while ago, saying that when Doctor Qi came to our house to take their pulse, he asked them about your situation. Do you think I should include a letter for Doctor Qi in my next family letter?”
“Don’t do that, young master!” Qi Chen waved his hands repeatedly. He just wanted to watch some drama, but why was it so difficult?
“But seriously, young master, when did you make Miss Yueyao so devoted to you? She’s been making all sorts of food for days, hardly repeating anything. She’s really put in a lot of effort.” Unfortunately, the woman was willing, but the man was not. Poor Miss Yueyao met Young Master Xu, whose heart was like iron.
Xu Yanqing picked up his storybook and continued reading. Hearing Qi Chen’s words, he thought for a moment and said, “It was probably that day at Brother Lin’s wedding feast. But we only met once.” He hadn’t expected something like this to happen; to him, it was simply an unprovoked disaster.
Qi Chen rubbed his chin, “So, Young Master doesn’t like someone like Miss Yaoyao. Then what kind of person do you like?”
“I like someone like you, alright?” Annoyed by Qi Chen’s incessant chatter, the salted fish young master cast a cold glance at him.
Qi Chen wanted to say more, but then he saw Taoist Xuanchen walking towards them. He quickly and wisely shut his mouth. The Taoist looked gentle, but he was also extremely dignified and imposing, even a little intimidating. So, Qi Chen feigned a cough and found an opportunity to quickly slip away.
Yin Yanjun’s gaze fell on the young master, instantly becoming much gentler. He poured a cup of warm water and placed it by the young master’s hand: “Drink some water.” The weather had been very dry recently, and the young master often forgot to drink water, leading to some internal heat.
Having just spoken a lot with Li Yueyao, Xu Yanqing was indeed a little thirsty, so he quickly picked up the teacup and gulped down the entire cup of warm water in three gulps: “Taoist Master is truly my savior, I was about to die of thirst.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.” Yin Yanjun took the cup, poured another cup of water, and placed it on the table beside the young master’s hand, so he could drink whenever he was thirsty. A moment later, his gaze fell on the plate of pastries on the tea table: “Are these Aunt Zhao’s date cakes?”
Xu Yanqing shook his head. “Miss Yueyao sent them over. Do you want some?” In reality, the young master didn’t particularly like date cakes, especially in summer, when it was already dry, eating pastries made him even more prone to internal heat.
Yin Yanjun shook his head: “Wen Jing prefers date cakes.”
“Then give them to Wen Jing and Qi Chen to eat. I think Qi Chen seemed to like them quite a bit too.” Xu Yanqing continued to flip through the storybook in his hand, his attention not at all on the date cakes, and naturally, he didn’t notice Taoist Xuanchen’s slightly strange gaze.
So, that plate of pastries was eventually shared and finished by Wen Jing, Mu Yu, and Qi Chen. Aunt Zhao then brewed some heat-reducing tea for them and placed it on the table.
Li Yueyao went home crying. Qiao Xiu’er, seeing this, exchanged a glance with her husband and quickly got up and went into her cousin’s room. Seeing her sister sobbing pitifully on the bed, she naturally felt heartbroken and could only comfortingly pat her sister’s shoulder: “Yueyao, you have to understand that Young Master Xu and us are not on the same path. You are so beautiful, how can you not find a good husband? Why cry like this for someone who is not worthy of you?”
Li Yueyao threw herself into Qiao Xiu’er’s arms and cried hoarsely, “Why, why doesn’t he like me!”
Qiao Xiu’er didn’t know what else to say. Emotions between people had always been something that couldn’t be forced; just because you liked someone didn’t mean they had to like you back. But Li Yueyao was her sister, after all, so she could only softly console her.
In the following days, Li Yueyao never sent food to Xu Yanqing again. The salted fish young master finally felt relieved. These days, after finishing the storybook in hand, the young master began to busy himself with his mechanical clock again.
Now, the mechanical clock only lacked some metal parts. More than half a month ago, Xu Yanqing had given the blueprints to Mu Yu to take to the town and ask a blacksmith to make them for him. Estimating that the time was about right, Xu Yanqing suddenly had a whim and wanted to visit the market here.
“You’ve been here for a long time, young master, and indeed haven’t gone out much. Although the fetus in your belly is now over six months old, it’s not very noticeable. There’s no problem going to the market, just be careful,” Qi Chen routinely took Xu Yanqing’s pulse and measured the size of his belly.
Xu Yanqing’s six-month belly probably looked similar to a typical woman’s five-month belly. With loose robes, others would only think the young master was a bit chubby, and no one would suspect anything else.
Yin Yanjun nodded, “Wen Jing, prepare the carriage.”
Wen Jing acknowledged the order and quickly went to prepare.
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