One word off, a world of difference.
Xie Yan wanted to go home. He wanted a hug from his fulang.
If his fulang was willing to give him a kiss, heck, he’d even go take the imperial exam.
Li Feng accepted the books and was now thinking about going home to see Lu Liu. He had no interest in talking to Xie Yan anymore.
“So, what day’s the dinner? Where are we meeting?”
Xie Yan repeated the details.
Li Feng and Lu Liu could choose the date themselves. Once they’d decided, they could go tell Xie Yan’s family in Shangxi Village. Xie Yan and Lu Yang were usually in the county; only his mother stayed at the village home.
If the couple went into the county instead, they could head straight to the shop. Since it had opened, both of them were usually there.
Li Feng thought about it, then said, “Starting on the fifteenth, I’ll be heading to the county to sell rice cakes. I’ll bring Xiao Liu along.”
Xie Yan nodded, then gave one last try at making a business pitch.
“Wanna sell your rice cakes at our shop?”
Li Feng asked, “What’s the price?”
Xie Yan went quiet for a moment, confused. “What price?”
Li Feng: “…”
This is the man engaged to my Xiao Liu?
Thank the gods Xiao Liu ended up with me instead. Otherwise, how would they survive?
Li Feng said, “Alright. I’ll talk to Lu Yang about it once I’m in town.”
Xie Yan didn’t get upset—actually, he looked quite pleased.
In their household, Lu Yang was in charge of all the business affairs. Whatever he said, that’s how it was. So yes, going to him was the right move.
After confirming the shop’s address again, Xie Yan got ready to leave.
Li Feng stopped him. “Wait a sec,” he said, going inside and coming back with some rice cakes.
“They’re fresh and packed with good stuff. You can grill ’em at home or toss them in noodles—either way’s good.”
Rice cakes could also be deep-fried, but that was the rich folks’ way of eating them. Way too fancy for them. Toasted with a little sugar on top? Now that was how you knew a family had some money to spare.
Xie Yan remembered the steamed buns from before. He really wanted to recite Lu Yang’s commentary on the topic word for word. But their home had no rice cakes. After a moment’s hesitation, he took the offering.
If he brought rice cakes home, Lu Yang would see them and know everything had gone well. That’d put his heart at ease.
Xie Yan drove the donkey cart off.
Li Feng went back into the courtyard and said to the others, “Something’s come up at home. I’m heading back to check on it.”
Chen Guizhi asked, “What kind of problem?”
Sanmiao chimed in too, “Want some help?”
Li Feng waved it off. “Just a little thing.”
He was generous with his younger brother. As for the others, they’d have to wait.
Sanmiao had just gotten married, so Li Feng called him over and handed him one of the picture books.
“Read this one first, then we’ll swap. Those other guys have been married forever—nothing surprises them anymore. You and I should take a look first before passing them around.”
Sanmiao took it like it was a treasure, gave Li Feng a thumbs-up, and said, “Big Bro Feng, you’re the best.”
Li Feng left a little early that day. When he got home, Lu Liu hadn’t started cooking yet.
Lu Liu had just seen off Yao-fulang, and his head was a mess. Yao-fulang didn’t really understand anything and had babbled on for ages, trying to comfort him with a bunch of nonsense. Still, Lu Liu knew he meant well, so he didn’t argue. He only told him one thing: He was definitely going to spend his life with Da Feng. He liked Da Feng.
Yao-fulang had laughed, then started worrying again, afraid that tonight wouldn’t go well for Lu Liu. He didn’t know who Xie Yan really was and feared that Li Feng might get violent with Lu Liu.
Lu Liu was too embarrassed to admit that… yeah, Li Feng did hit him sometimes. With a hunter’s stick, no less. But not the kind of hitting Yao-fulang meant.
When Li Feng walked through the door, Lu Liu just stood there, stunned, not sure what to say.
His heart was full. He was happy—really happy—that even after finding out the truth, Li Feng still treated him just as well. Still wanted a life together.
That was all he ever wanted. He’d always hoped Li Feng would love him just a little more. Turns out, Li Feng had already loved him plenty—and had never blamed him for anything. He’d even thought through everything for him.
His eyes burned, but he didn’t want to cry in front of Li Feng. That would make Li Feng worry.
Last time he cried, Li Feng had been incredibly distressed.
So instead, he said, “I’ll go bring the laundry in. Then I’ll start dinner.”
What kind of observer was Li Feng?
Of course he noticed those red-rimmed eyes.
Lu Liu was being diligent as always—he’d even taken Li Feng’s heavy fur coat outside to scrub with snow and hang in the sun. That thing weighed seven or eight pounds. Li Feng ran after him to help.
But the moment he got to the bamboo drying rack, he saw Lu Liu already shedding tears, big fat ones falling plop plop on the ground.
When he saw Li Feng coming, Lu Liu scurried to the other side of the rack like he could hide. Li Feng picked up the fur coat, leaving no distance between them. Seeing that, Lu Liu squatted down, trying to hide again.
Just like a little kid—thinking that if he didn’t look at Li Feng, then Li Feng wouldn’t see him. And if Li Feng couldn’t see him, then he wouldn’t know he was crying.
Li Feng’s heart just about broke.
He crouched down in front of him. “Did Xie Yan scare you?”
Lu Liu shook his head. He had been scared—but once he realized he was the only clueless one, he wasn’t afraid anymore.
He didn’t want to cry. He didn’t even know why he couldn’t hold it in.
Li Feng thought he was upset about being kept in the dark, so he explained, “I was going to tell you that day. But you had a nightmare and woke up sobbing. I thought, you’re so timid… and Lu Yang told me to wait a bit. I figured since the Chen family tricked us into a fake marriage and my mother was already mad, I’d help you win her over first. Then I’d tell you later, when she was more likely to accept you.”
Lu Liu wasn’t the calculating type. He didn’t like to dwell on things—whatever had passed, he let go.
But he remembered the meaningful stuff. The joyful stuff. The stuff that made him feel loved.
He’d already guessed what Li Feng just explained. His life was simple. Ever since marrying in, the number of big events in his life could be counted on one hand.
Maybe that’s why he felt even more like crying.
Li Feng had treated him so well—it was hard not to cry.
His tears were pouring now, and he couldn’t even talk properly.
Li Feng had no choice but to apologize. “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have kept it from you, okay? Please stop crying?”
But Lu Liu didn’t want an apology. He just reached out and grabbed Li Feng’s hand, burying his face in his palm. Hot tears rolled down and soaked into Li Feng’s skin.
They sat in silence for a while, until Lu Liu calmed down. Then he said, “Da Feng, how are you this good?”
Li Feng didn’t want him to start crying again, so he teased, “I’m that good? Eh, I think I’m just alright.”
Lu Liu wasn’t having it. His mood flipped fast, like the wind. “No—you are good. In my heart, you’re the best man. You’re not allowed to badmouth yourself!”
Li Feng gently wiped the tears off his face and chuckled. “That strict, huh? I’m the best man alive, and I’m not even allowed to say otherwise?”
Lu Liu had his own logic. “Exactly. You’re the best man. If you say bad things about yourself, then you’re not the best anymore.”
Li Feng teased, “So I’m not the best in your heart anymore?”
Lu Liu said seriously, “As long as you don’t say bad things about yourself, you are.”
Li Feng pressed further, grinning, “So if I do say something bad, I stop being the best?”
Lu Liu frowned. He’d been tricked into a logic trap. After thinking hard for a moment, he responded with conviction:
“Then you’d be the worst man!”
Li Feng burst out laughing. He laughed and laughed, and Lu Liu just stared at him, then started laughing too, giggling in that dopey, silly way of his.
Li Feng cupped his face. “Let’s head back inside. It’s cold out here. If you freeze, your ‘worst man’ is gonna worry.”
Lu Liu had been squatting too long and needed Li Feng to give him a hand to stand up.
Li Feng picked up the fur coat with one hand and wrapped the other around Lu Liu’s waist. The two of them walked back to the house together.
Lu Liu only said all that because he wanted his good man to care about him.
After settling Lu Liu back into their room, Li Feng went out to tidy up the yard. Before heading back in, he shot a glance at the little corner outside the courtyard—and then firmly shut the door behind him.
Dinner was simple. He threw together some dough-drop soup on the stove. Stir-fried some baby bok choy in oil, added water, brought it to a boil, then dropped in the hand-torn dough.
Lu Liu sat on a small stool watching him cook, hands cupping his face, smiling like sunshine.
“I’ve never had such pure dough-drop soup before. Back home, we always had to throw in lots of leafy greens or sweet potatoes just to get any flavor. We never used extra seasoning—just poured in whatever oil was left from other meals.
We didn’t mix rice with soup either. We’d save the broth for the next meal and stretch it another day.”
Those poor days… they felt like they’d only just passed.
And now, it felt like a dream—he was this happy.
Li Feng heard him and quietly got up to slice off a chunk of cured meat. Imitating Lu Liu, he diced it into tiny cubes and tossed them into the pot.
By the time the dough-drop soup was ladled out, it had noodles, greens, and meat. Lu Liu looked at the steaming bowl and was overwhelmed again—eyes turning red once more.
“Da Feng… I really, really love you. I want to spend my life with you… and give you a child.”
Li Feng stroked his cheek and said gently,
“All that’s just talk. As long as you don’t cry, I’ll be happy.”
