Zhang Tie wanted to stay and help out at the shop; they could always use an extra pair of hands.
Lu Lin made a mental note.
“After we’re done cooking, we’ll split the profits,” he said.
It was like the family was doing contract work.
Two hundred pounds of flour wouldn’t bring much profit, but Lu Yang felt warmed by the offer.
Truth be told, he was fortunate—he’d encountered more good people than bad.
“Alright, we’ll see then. You two head back. Take a bowl of sauce home for dinner.”
Work was done for the day.
Chapter 74: What a Delicious Meal
With the sauce delivered, it was time to eat chicken.
Back home, Lu Liu dared not stand before Li Feng. He felt Li Feng’s gaze could devour him whole—truly intimidating.
They’d bought a lot of sauce today, and the payment wasn’t settled yet. But the mountain goods delivered earlier had been fully paid off, netting over a tael.
Their family had some savings. When collecting mountain goods earlier, Li Feng’s friend had taken credit, delivering goods first. But later villagers delivering goods couldn’t be put on credit too—they’d paid with their life savings.
He’d gotten home too late to deliver the money today.
That evening, Lu Liu and Shun Boy cooked dinner. They’d been running around all day and were exhausted. Shun Ge’er handled all the stir-frying while Lu Liu assisted.
They’d eaten mushroom paste for several days straight, even having it with flatbread again this morning. Tonight, they skipped the paste.
When the meal was served, Lu Liu noticed there were no pickles or sauces. She decided to fetch a bowl of pickled radish.
He went to the kitchen, spotted the pickled radish, and suddenly slapped his forehead in realization. Earlier, he’d mentioned bringing a jar of it to the county town to try selling it. Busy for days straight, he hadn’t eaten any and completely forgot about it.
He brought the bowl back to the table and mentioned this.
Chen Guizhi told him not to worry: The mushroom sauce needs a tasting booth anyway. One thing at a time.”
Besides, her pickled radishes turned out delicious purely by accident. Shun had grabbed the wrong jar earlier and added way too much sugar. By the time she noticed, the sugar had dissolved into water. With no other option, she made do with it—and the result was unexpectedly tasty.
Sugar and salt were both expensive, so these radishes couldn’t be sold cheaply.
She also mentioned that Lu Liu loved to eat, and this pickle was the most expensive one in their household.
Lu Liu truly did love it. Whenever it was available at home, he’d have a couple bites every day.
Chatting over meals was a rare leisure during these busy days.
Li Feng mentioned selling firewood, planning to let others earn that money.
“Ninety coins per cartload, and it has to be packed full. Such a long haul—it’s hard-earned money, really. I can’t spare the time myself. My brothers are all farmers and hunters, and they’ll be busy soon. I’m thinking of letting Daqiang handle it. He lives down the mountain, so gathering firewood is easier for him. Our families are close by, so borrowing carts will be convenient.”
Yao Fulang was still on good terms with Lu Liu, so this favor could be granted.
Five cartloads of firewood a month added up to four hundred and fifty cash coins—just a few days’ work would cover it.
Yao Fulang’s maternal family also lived down the mountain. If Daqiang got too busy, he could ask them for help. The money would just flow back and forth, staying within their family anyway.
Chen Guizhi pondered for a moment before asking him, “Do you think Er Tian could handle it?”
Er Tian and his wife had come over to help for a few days, hoping to earn some meals.
They couldn’t let them get involved in the sauce-making business long-term. That couple always looked out for themselves, and having been around food for so long, their hands weren’t clean.
Chopping firewood was acceptable—it was manual labor.
Li Feng shook his head. “Not really. There aren’t many trees in the new village, and the nearby wastelands all have owners. Planting trees isn’t an option either. He’d have to go down the mountain to gather firewood. Besides, Mr. Ding needs it long-term. He’s about to plow and sow soon.”
Chen Guizhi nodded and said nothing more.
Lu Liu seized the moment to serve her a slice of cured pork.
They’d had stir-fried mountain mushrooms with pork slices for dinner too. He’d eaten it at lunch and wasn’t craving it now.
Chen Guizhi glanced at him. Lu Liu was still pouring water, hurriedly serving another slice to Li Feng. Meeting Shun’er’s gaze, she served him a slice too.
“What’s the rush during dinner? Eat your own portion.”
Lu Liu replied, “I had meat at lunch. You all should eat.”
Hearing this, Shun Ge’er nearly called him foolish.
“Does anyone here think there’s too much meat?”
Lu Liu simply felt meat was a rare treat. Though his family lived comfortably, they didn’t indulge in meat every meal.
These past few days had been hectic, everyone doing physical labor, so they could only afford meat once a day. With four mouths to feed, the portions were meager.
Since he could rest for two days here, he decided to let them have it.
Li Feng picked up two slices of meat for him.
After that single pick-up, the plate was empty.
Lu Liu: “……”
Lu Liu: “…”
He looked at Shun Ge’er and said, “Shun Ge’er, next time slice the meat thinner. Thin slices look plentiful.”
Shun Ge’er fell silent. After a moment, he asked, “Would shredding it be better then?”
Lu Liu nodded. “Dicing it makes it last longer.”
Chen Guizhi and Li Feng both chuckled, urging them to stop talking and eat while the food was hot.
After dinner, everyone tidied up and washed.
Lu Liu still felt Li Feng’s gaze was unsettling. Having sweated heavily lately, he’d accompanied the cart on a trip today, leaving his face and head dusty and his body sticky. He mentioned wanting to bathe.
Li Feng agreed. The two husbands first helped their mother wash her face and feet, then boiled a pot of hot water for Shun Ge. After that, the rest of the boiling water was for themselves.
Li Feng teased him, “Who said they liked it rough?”
Lu Liu muttered, “But you can’t eat me alive.”
Li Feng hadn’t even taken a bite yet.
If he kept dawdling, the water would boil over.
If he delayed any longer, the bath would be finished.
Shun Ge hadn’t married yet—just a half-grown child. As his older brother, Li Feng might be playful with his words, but he remained restrained in his actions.
He teased Lu Liu by the tub, but they bathed separately. Lu Liu washed first. After she finished, he used the same water, adding hot water to make it warm enough for himself.
“Xiao Liu, why are you so hot?”
Lu Liu stammered, “Nothing. I just thought about you bathing, using my bathwater… it made me feel so warm.”
Li Feng felt warm too. He stripped, blew out the lamp, and climbed onto the kang to eat chicken.
Lu Liu said he was scared, but after kissing him a little longer, he found his courage again and wasn’t afraid anymore.
Li Feng wouldn’t eat people, but his gaze was terrifying, like a starving wolf. Though Lu Liu had never seen a wolf, he’d heard Li Feng say that the wolves encountered in the mountains were so hungry their eyes glowed green.
Lu Liu was lifted onto his lap, his voice breaking as he was pressed against him. His arms draped limply over Li Feng’s shoulders, too weak to support himself. Later, he could only lean against Li Feng’s body.
Even now, he couldn’t stay still. Once he lay down, able to look straight into Li Feng’s eyes, he still rubbed his own eyes, widening them to stare. In the pitch-black night, he couldn’t see a thing. He could only ask, “Da Feng, are your eyes green?”
Li Feng didn’t understand. “Probably black.”
Lu Liu said, “Then you weren’t that hungry after all. Right, I’ve touched your cock before.”
Li Feng understood. He grabbed him, bent down, and did it again.
Life is full of lessons. Lu Liu was a quick learner and grasped one truth:
Touching chickens doesn’t fill your belly. Eating chicken does.
He slept in a little that morning.
Li Feng went out to settle the mushroom payment, arranged firewood delivery with Daqiang, and scheduled a wild boar hunt before the Spring Equinox. Returning home, he found his young lover still asleep.
He approached. Lu Liu opened bleary eyes and lectured him.
Li Feng nodded, suddenly understanding. He’d get him a chicken too.
Lu Liu disliked him.
Once February arrived, they could go catch chicks.
Li Feng promised Lu Liu he’d catch chicks for him to raise. Both dads planned to raise chickens too, agreeing they’d go together when the time came.
He needed to head into the mountains before the Spring Equinox. Catching chicks had to be done early; delaying it meant March would arrive, when other families’ chickens were already laying eggs, while theirs still hadn’t shed their yellow down. He asked Lu Liu when they’d go catch chicks.
“I’ll take Daqiang to learn the way. We can stop by your brother’s place to see how the mushroom sauce is selling and how much stock he’ll need next time.”
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