“You dare get your father hurt? Bringing you home was to protect him! Look at what you’ve done—you just eat, drink, and sleep, and don’t even know who you’re like.”
He muttered on for a while, unsure how much the dog understood.
When he asked if it understood, the dog barked loudly, calling Lu Yang over.
Lu Yang stood outside the main room, looking toward them. “What are you doing?”
Xie Yan glanced at the dog, set it down, and the dog trotted over to Lu Yang. He shrugged. “Servile dog.”
Lu Yang laughed awkwardly. “Why are you scolding it?”
Xie Yan frowned. “Why are you so protective of it?”
Lu Yang teased him: “A child not taught is a father’s fault. I think you just want to scold me.”
Xie Yan shook his head. “I’m teaching it to be filial.”
Lu Yang was momentarily speechless. He waved at him. “Go back inside. What can a dog understand about being filial?”
It was late, so he let the dog rest, leaving a gap in the wood room door just big enough for it to get in.
Xie Yan came over and asked, “Why did you make the doghouse yourself? Didn’t you say you were busy?”
Lu Yang took his hand and led him inside. “I’ve stayed home these days, haven’t gone out. I was doing needlework earlier, which strained my eyes. Weaving bamboo is easier—not so precise. I checked the basket shop, no bamboo baskets that big, so I had to make it myself. I made it larger so when Weimeng grows, it can still be used—one effort, long-lasting.”
He placed a square frame upside down as a door, wrapping it inside and out with straw mats in winter, removing the mats in summer.
Xie Yan worried about Lu Yang’s hands and found some powder to treat the small cuts.
Lu Yang brushed it off, letting Xie Yan go wash up.
“Are you going to read tonight?”
Xie Yan planned to study a bit. After helping Lu Yang, he went to fetch water and saw Zhao Peilan step out. “Mother, are you cold? If the quilt is too thin, tell us.”
She wasn’t cold and went to pour some hot water.
After tidying up, Xie Yan returned to find Lu Yang on the kang, looking at manuscript paper posted on the wall.
Year-end had come; it was time to replace them. Xie Yan had prepared a batch for him to use.
“I’ll post them with you then.”
Lu Yang went to the kang chest to fetch quilts, making the bed ready to sleep.
“These are new; don’t put them up yet. Save them until I need to post at the new house.”
Xie Yan nodded and returned to his desk. Lu Yang, exhausted from the day, fell asleep first.
Half-asleep, Xie Yan quietly slipped under the covers and hugged him. Lu Yang opened his eyes slightly.
Xie Yan kissed him. “It’s still dark. Go back to sleep.”
Lu Yang wrapped his arms around him.
Used to being busy, he was learning to rest and take care of himself. After a tiring day, he slept, then woke early, whether lingering in bed or starting work—he had control.
A few days passed like this. Xie Yan noticed Lu Yang seemed to have little to do. “Am I holding you back at home?”
Lu Yang shook his head. “Such a small shop; I hired four people. If I were as busy as before, that would be a huge business.”
Xie Yan still felt uneasy. “Don’t you go visit friends? Or other households?”
Lu Yang explained, “Mid-Autumn just passed. Visiting now is mainly for New Year gifts. Nothing worthwhile to see, so I’m lazy to go around.”
Xie Yan found that reasonable and, worried Lu Yang might be bored, decided to teach him chess.
Playing chess at home required no strict rules—capture pieces, have fun. Later, during longer breaks, they’d learn properly.
After winter, when going out was unwelcome, they could set up a table on the kang to play chess.
Besides Go, they could play Chinese chess.
Xie Yan asked if he wanted to try card games. “I’ll buy some for you.”
Lu Yang laughed. “Do you think I’m idle?”
Xie Yan secretly wished he could spend his days idly, enjoying food and play. Work was exhausting and not fun.
They set up the board, divided black and white pieces, capturing each other one by one.
Lu Yang wanted to learn the rules. Knowing the rules meant limits. Within limits, finding ways to break them was the real fun. Without rules, he could place pieces anywhere—just capturing—but that was boring, purely passing time.
Xie Yan, meanwhile, enjoyed listening to him talk.
Lu Yang spoke freely, each word carrying an irresistible charm, keeping Xie Yan’s gaze fixed.
Even busy, he could make time for this leisure.
Lu Yang wanted to learn; Xie Yan taught him a bit each day. They played, discussed moves, and slowly savored the pleasure, thinking of subsequent moves during idle moments.
By late September, Lu Yang finished weaving the doghouse.
Worried the bamboo was cold, he added a thin straw mat, threading it through gaps and securing it inside, then placed another straw mat atop.
With limited mats at home, he bought two small ones to cover it, and added a small curtain to half-cover the entrance, keeping it warm for the puppy.
Weimeng loved its new home, following Lu Yang all day like a shadow.
The puppy had learned to climb. Grabbing his pant leg, it tried to climb up.
Weimeng, still growing and chubby, couldn’t climb well. Lu Yang bent down, tapping its paws lightly. After a few tries, Weimeng learned not to climb pants, circling his legs to show affection.
Lu Yang enjoyed playing with his clingy dog. Later that evening, Xie Yan came home, rushing happily toward him. Lu Yang laughed—how like a little dog!
Of course, he wouldn’t actually say this to their top scholar; Xie Yan was childish. Hearing this, he’d be furious, potentially waking the dog at midnight to settle a “three-hundred-round debate.”
Lu Yang imagined it and laughed again.
Xie Yan asked what was so funny.
Lu Yang replied casually, “Seeing you makes me happy.”
Those words touched Xie Yan deeply.
That night, they had chicken soup with mushrooms—particularly savory.
Each drank a bowl, then added noodles to the pot. Humans and dog alike ate the same.
With the start of winter, Xie Yan was set to go study in the prefecture city.
The first day of winter was the seventh day of the tenth lunar month—close to year-end. At dinner, all three tacitly agreed to reunite during the Spring Festival.
The prefectural school had a winter break around mid-December, allowing them to return home early.
Zhao Peilan had prepared cotton boots and ear covers. Lu Yang, despite eye strain from needlework, had still made two sets of undergarments. Xie Yan had grown taller; pants and sleeves were now short.
He left a message at the shop for Lu Lin: if anyone came from Li village delivering goods, tell Li Feng to buy a few vests and knee protectors.
He had a small fur vest—warmer than cotton garments.
Xie Yan noted the prefectural school slept in beds without kangs, making winter difficult.
With preparations done, Lu Yang also bought two small copper braziers—one for daytime hand warmth, one at night for hands and feet, keeping the body cozy and ensuring a good sleep.
He had some spare money; renting a small courtyard outside was expensive, but he could afford it. If still cold, there was no need to be thrifty—just go find a room and sleep on a kang at night.
