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墨書 Inktalez
“Husband, how about using your hands?”
However, Xia Muxin misunderstood his meaning. After all, they had been apart for so many days, and Shen Muhan was full of energy. With him holding her like this, it was hard for her not to think in that direction.
It took Shen Muhan a moment to grasp her implication. He chuckled silently, biting his lip as he gently tousled her hair. He pressed a kiss on her forehead and softly said, “Once you’re better, don’t use your hands; you can make it up to me yourself.”
At first, she was fine, but now that Xia Muxin brought it up, she really felt the urge.
Blushing, Xia Muxin snuggled closer to him, realizing she might have been overthinking things. Why would he say such cheesy words otherwise?
“Alright, let’s sleep. We’ll go home tomorrow.”
With a resigned sigh, Shen Muhan pressed down on her restless head. If she kept this up, they might really end up resolving things right here.
Hearing that they could go home tomorrow made Xia Muxin quiet down immediately. She obediently leaned against Shen Muhan’s chest, and soon enough, even breathing could be heard.
After a good night’s sleep, Xia Muxin woke up early. She tried to move a bit and found that it didn’t hurt as much as she had imagined. However, Shen Muhan didn’t seem to be doing as well; dark circles were evident under his eyes, and there was a hint of fatigue on his brow despite just waking up.
“How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?”
Seeing Xia Muxin awake made him unable to fall back asleep. He simply held her close but was increasingly worried about the injuries on her back.
“It doesn’t hurt; it’s much better now. I can go back right away.”
With Shen Muhan around, even the depths of hell felt like paradise to Xia Muxin. Pouting slightly, she then seemed to remember something and asked:
"Did you go to Kyoto? It's been so long."
"Yes, I went with Mu Qing. We took down Zhao Weiran and the others. Now the world is peaceful, and the Retired Emperor can finally rest in peace."
As he spoke, Shen Muhan snorted disdainfully at the Retired Emperor's petty actions. Fortunately, this time they had worked together smoothly, and there wouldn't be any outbreaks in the short term. It was likely that Shen Muqing would end up staying in Daimiao Village for good.
Xia Muxin couldn't help but chuckle at his childish tone. Who curses for the Retired Emperor to die early? But none of that was her concern; what she wanted was to secure her position as the richest merchant in the land.
Afterward, Shen Muhan gathered some medicine, and they bid farewell to Sister Tang. They took Ming Da's carriage and returned home shortly after the hour of Chen had passed.
Er Dan Ge was also there, looking guilty and melancholy, probably aware of what had happened yesterday. Xia Jihua, her aunt, had red eyes, indicating she had been crying.
When everyone saw Xia Muxin return, they all gathered at the door to greet her, bombarding her with questions.
"Alright, it's not like I was seriously injured. Aren't these red dates almost ripe? Just eat more of them later to replenish my blood."
Seeing everyone’s worried and somber expressions made Xia Muxin uncomfortable, so she teased them instead.
"Muxin is fine; she'll be better after a few days of rest."
In the end, Xia Muxin had to turn to Shen Muhan for help. After all, he was a doctor, and everyone would surely believe him. Just as she expected, once Shen Muhan spoke up, everyone relaxed their expressions. He then took the opportunity to say that he was still weak and needed rest, directly carrying Xia Muxin into the room.
"Aunt and Er Dan Ge are getting married on the eighth of next month; it will be lively at home for a while."
Xia Muxin lay on the bed, boredly staring at the pillow while Shen Muhan changed her medicine. She counted her fingers as she spoke.
"Yes."
"We actually went to Town to prepare the dowry for my aunt."
"Uh-huh."
"That Zhao Dazhuang really deserves what he gets."
"Uh-huh."
Xia Muxin was confused; everything had been fine just a moment ago, but now there was this strange tension. She scratched her palm and continued, "Next time you change the dressing, could you not take off all my clothes?"
"No way..."
Well, at least this person was still normal; it was just that her thoughts seemed to only wander in this direction. After the dressing change, Xia Muxin wanted to turn over and lie flat, but Shen Muhan wouldn’t allow it.
Thus, Xia Muxin lay on the bed for a full five days until Shen Muhan finally let her turn over and no longer restrained her movements.
Early in the morning, she went to Er Dan Ge's new home. Her parents and others were also there, and many villagers praised the house with thumbs up.
It was almost finished; they just needed to put on the tiles.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Er Dan quickly set down what he was doing, rushing around with snacks and pouring tea, flustered and busy.
"Muxin, this is what I caught in the river early this morning. I heard from Songzi that you really like it. How's your health now?"
All along, he felt guilty towards Xia Muxin, after all, she had been injured because of Xia Jihua. In these past few days, Xia Jihua had been preparing various nourishing dishes for her, but her appetite seemed small. Fortunately, with Shen Muhan around, she managed to eat a little.
He had once eaten this at the Xia Family, which Xia Muxin called Eel. It tasted quite good; it was mixed with mint leaves and shredded cucumber. A few days ago, when Songzi returned and learned that his sister was injured, he was furious and wanted to kill someone. Eventually, he decided to get some fresh food for Xia Muxin. At that time, he was working in the field when it rained. The fields had accumulated some water, and since their land was downstream, it never dried out throughout the year. When Songzi saw a few small round holes on the surface of the field, he tried digging and ended up unearthing a large Eel.
Later, he learned that Xia Muxin liked to eat this, so early this morning, as soon as dawn broke, he took his tools and went out. The harvest was quite good; it should weigh around four or five pounds.
However, this thing looked rather intimidating, slippery like a snake. If he hadn't eaten it himself before, he wouldn't have believed that it was edible.
Seeing the fresh Eel, Xia Muxin immediately felt hungry and smiled brightly as she thanked Er Dan, saying, "Thank you, Uncle."
Her calling him "Uncle" completely amused Er Dan. After all, Xia Muxin's acknowledgment carried more weight than that of Aunt Xia and her husband.
The adults gathered to discuss how to arrange the other furniture. Some cabinets and other items were handcrafted by Summer Forest and his son. Er Dan and Xia Jihua were thrilled with them because they were designed by Xia Muxin. When these items were moved in that day, they dazzled the villagers.
They had lived for decades but had never seen such beautiful cabinets, including the beds.
The sanitation in the house was mostly taken care of; however, the roof tiles were not completely laid yet. This was mainly delayed due to the rain a few days ago. Fortunately, they had just harvested straw, and during the rain, they covered the roof with it to prevent the entire house from flooding.
As soon as the sun came out, they began working. They estimated that everything would be finished by evening.
"We're moving in the day after tomorrow; this child is going to be so busy," Aunt Xia said to Er Dan with a thousand praises in her heart, holding Xia Jihua's hand with tears in her eyes.
It is said that couples shouldn't meet before marriage, but since Xia Jihua was on his second marriage and their families lived close by, Aunt Xia couldn't help but worry about Er Dan managing everything alone. So she offered to help with whatever she could; the family appreciated it deeply.
This was a village custom: whenever a new home was built, they had to invite the villagers for a feast. Moreover, their wedding day was just nine days away, so they decided to hold the feast as soon as possible. Thus, everyone agreed on the day after tomorrow.
At noon, Xia Muxin asked Er Dan to invite a few workers who were laying tiles over to the Xia Family for lunch. The fresh dish they served was Eel slices.
The kitchen was under the supervision of Xia Jihua, with Xia Muxin offering guidance nearby. Shen Muhan watched her like she was a child, worried she might touch the utensils or the cold water.
In truth, Xia Muxin wasn't that delicate, but Shen Muhan had spoiled her.
Three tables were set up in total because Ming Yi and the others had been called back. After all, hosting a banquet was no small matter, especially since Er Dan was the son-in-law of the Xia Family. Everyone who should be here from Village End had returned. It was expected to have at least fifty tables, and preparing dishes and buying supplies would definitely require manpower. Since they had nothing else to do at the moment, Shen Muhan summoned them all back. Each table featured not only eel slices but also fried eel.
Inside, there were usually some ginger shreds and dried perilla leaves.
Just the smell alone was mouthwatering.
After the meal, everyone divided up the tasks.
"Husband, let someone go to the fish pond and catch some lobsters."
Xia Muxin, still being carefully protected, felt quite bored and spoke to Shen Muhan.
The lobster pond had been expanded to twice its size, and several had been added a few months ago. Now, if one stood far away, they could see the plump lobsters clearly. Xia Muxin estimated that with their breeding, there must be at least four hundred pounds in that pond.
Moreover, it had been a long time since they had caught any fish to taste; this made Xia Muxin sigh a little.
"Alright, do you want to go take a look together?"
This time, Shen Muhan did not refuse and generously asked if she wanted to join him.
Xia Muxin was more than happy to go along. As a result, catching lobsters turned into quite a spectacle for everyone. Although they had seen lobsters in the river before, they usually kept their distance. Now that they saw Xia Muxin's family not only raising them but also claiming they were delicious, curiosity filled the onlookers.
Ming Qi and Ming Da were among those who entered the water. The process was somewhat challenging because they didn't have large nets; they mainly used small scoops and bamboo sticks to catch them. During this time, several of them were unexpectedly attacked by lobsters, screaming in pain and causing those onshore to burst into laughter.
In the blink of an eye, it was time for Er Dan Ge to move.
Everything inside and out was ready, and the furniture was complete, with everything one could need. Many people came to help, mostly from the Brick Factory, as they had built a strong bond while working together. Moreover, Er Dan was quite personable, making everyone happy to have such a friend.
Some villagers were curious and arrived early just to see his new home.
At the village end, tables and chairs were borrowed, with fifty tables prepared. A new stove was set up outside the courtyard. Fortunately, the weather was not hot; the sun hadn’t come out but hadn’t set either, leaving a cool shade that motivated everyone working.
At this moment, Xia Muxin lay on the bed waiting for her dressing change. Shen Muhan had said this would be the last time, and she had looked in the mirror to see that there were no scars left—no marks at all. Yet Shen Muhan insisted that she needed one more change.
“Husband, I’m really fine now. There’s no need for another dressing change.”
The medicine was fresh, made from crushed herbs mixed with some of Shen Muhan's potions. Each application felt cool but sticky, which made her uncomfortable.
“Be good; after this one, you can do whatever you want.”
Shen Muhan completely ignored her pleas and abruptly tore off her upper clothing, not sparing even her undergarment. Sometimes she wondered if he did it on purpose.
It wasn’t until a cold sensation hit her back that Xia Muxin gave up trying to argue.
However, Shen Muhan’s words held deep meaning. What did he mean by saying she could do whatever she wanted? Clearly, it was him who wanted something!
After applying the medicine, she had to lie still for a while to let it dry; otherwise, her clothes would stick together.
“Muxin, your aunt has gotten married; shouldn’t we have children too?”
Shen Muhan's fingers traced her smooth back as his eyes glimmered with desire. He hadn’t touched her in a month since they had been out of the house. The longing was so intense it felt like his bones ached. With so many Little Carrot Heads around now, if Xia Jihua got pregnant again, there would be no peace at home. Therefore, he wanted to have children before Xia Jihua did—he wanted their family to be lively and chaotic. Otherwise, every day he would watch others enjoying their families while Little Carrot Head called him brother-in-law or uncle instead of dad or mom; that feeling was unbearable.
Um...
Xia Muxin furrowed her brows in silence. She thought that if she told Shen Muhan not to, he would genuinely comply with her wishes out of love for her. However, that thought made her feel guilty. After a moment's pause, she said, "Husband, let's just go with the flow. If it happens, then we'll have a child."
This was a roundabout way of conceding.
Shen Muhan happily kissed her several times on the back as the medicine on her back dried. Afterward, he helped her get dressed and then took her to Er Dan's house.
The banquet at Er Dan's home was quite lavish, with each table set with twelve large bowls. The dishes were plentiful, and many villagers took home leftovers in their own bowls. The most exquisite dish was undoubtedly the lobster.
Xia Muxin shared the cooking method for the stir-fried lobster with Xia Jihua. This dish was prepared by Xia Jihua himself since such a recipe could bring in a significant income if sold at Fortune and Longevity Restaurant. However, she wanted to establish its reputation first.
As they had anticipated, all fifty tables were filled without any leftovers.
Typically, after a banquet, guests would take home some leftover dishes happily. Er Dan had no other relatives; even if he did, they had lost contact after his parents passed away. He didn't invite anyone else for this occasion; his only family was the Xia Family.
After the meal, some women stayed behind to clean up the tables and tidy up the place. Er Dan invited them to stay for dinner, but since there were elderly and children at home, they couldn't linger too long. Xia Jihua made sure each of them took home a large bowl of food and some snacks before they all left cheerfully after finishing their tasks.
Dinner was also held at Er Dan's house, and with a few close brothers joining in, there were four tables in total. The topic of discussion revolved around the upcoming wedding in a few days. Xia Jihua felt his face flush as he listened while eating and decided to leave early with Summer Old Man.
Summer Old Man seemed to be aging; his health was not what it used to be, and he ate much less than before. His family was particularly worried about him.
Shen Muhan also took Xia Muxin home early; Ming Yi and the others had already left during lunch.
The autumn night was somewhat chilly as they walked home together. Xia Muxin felt a surge of emotions as she recalled how things had been when she first arrived—when even a bowl of porridge was hard to come by. Now she had her own home, her own supermarket, and countless savings. Most importantly, she had a man who loved her like life itself.
Her heart was filled with gratitude.
“Muxin, tell me, do you think our child looks more like you or more like me?”
Seeing Xia Muxin remain silent all the way, Shen Muhan began to look for a topic to discuss. However, as soon as he asked this question, Xia Muxin rolled her eyes. This guy never stopped thinking about that matter.
As she expected, after they returned home and freshened up, Shen Muhan couldn't wait to press her down.
That night was another sleepless one, changing positions endlessly...
The move for Er Dan went smoothly, and the wedding was equally successful, bustling with excitement. Xia Jihua's dowry dazzled everyone’s eyes; the new large boxes amounted to a total of ten. Not to mention in this countryside, even in Town, how many families would spend so lavishly on marrying off their daughters?
Once married, Xia Jihua became part of Er Dan's family. Although they were from the same village, Xia Jihua still cried bitterly, only managing to get into the sedan chair with the help of Aunt Xia and Ermiao.
The procession was lively with drums and gongs; the wedding convoy in Daimiao Village was among the top fifty. Compared to Xia Muxin's time, it was much more festive.
On the third day after the wedding, it was time for Xia Jihua to return home. This time, Xia Muxin and her husband set off for Dayao Village. She hadn't been there for almost two months and was worried about those seedlings.
At this season, the sweet potatoes were nearly ripe; she needed to arrange for someone to harvest them.
She also had to prepare to build an earth cellar to store the sweet potatoes.
This time she didn’t bring Yan Zhouwan along; it seemed that the two had entered a period of adjustment. Perhaps before long there would be good news. Shen Muqing even asked Shen Muhan to find a piece of land for him; he wanted to build a house too. Every day he watched Xia Muxin’s family together and happy, and he felt envious.
Shen Muhan was naturally happy about this; he wished for Yan Zhouwan to get married soon so that Xia Muxin would have more time for him.
Upon arriving at Dayao Village just after noon, they came over after having lunch at home. The house in Dayao Village had already been tidied up; they just needed to move in.
The first thing Xia Muxin did upon arriving was check on the seedlings. This time, she could distinguish many types: grapefruit seedlings, apple seedlings, pear seedlings—she already knew about the grapes—chestnut seedlings, peach trees, jujubes, sour jujubes, and everything else one could think of. There was even one type that surprised her: papaya.
As for the watermelon and things like Golden Melon, she was still broadcasting, after all, the season wasn't right.
After counting these Seedlings, Xia Muxin couldn't help but smile broadly. Shen Muhan watched her, her emotions as transparent as a child's, and couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.
Later, the two went to the Cotton Field. The vines of Sweet Potato sprawled across the ground like Creeping Fig, forming a thick layer that looked incredibly beautiful with its Tender Green.
The cotton plants had grown quite tall, and some had already bloomed. Since they arrived in the afternoon, the flowers were now a light red.
It seemed that the seeds of this cotton were of exceptionally high quality because the flowers changed throughout the day; they were white in the morning, still white in the late morning, and became more vibrant as evening approached.
Xia Muxin was overjoyed at the sight and then bent down to pick a small bundle of tender vines from the Sweet Potato. Noticing Shen Muhan looking at her with curiosity, she proudly raised the Tender Green Sweet Potato Vine in her hand and said:
“Husband, this is also a form of wealth! Tonight, I will make you a fresh dish.”
- End of Chapter -
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