That comment made a lot of people feel a little sour. After so many years, most families had saved up some money—but still, hardly anyone could bring themselves to splurge on a ten-wen meat pie.
Chen Fulang was also sitting nearby. He snorted and said, “And you believe him just like that? He’s from the county—what’s so special about buying a meat pie when he goes back there? He probably used to eat them every day. Now he’s married off and getting beat—he’s not afraid he’ll go file a complaint in the county? That pie was just a way to shut him up.”
Yao Fulang didn’t like Chen Fulang. They’d argued before. Back then, Chen Fulang loved to brag about how well Li Feng treated him, always saying he was Li Feng’s favorite little “brother,” that if he asked for something, it always got done. So Yao Fulang had asked him to help get Da Qiang brought along to the mountains.
Of course, it didn’t happen. Even after Yao Fulang gave him a gift for the favor, it still fell through. And when he said a few words of complaint, Chen Fulang got mad and insulted Da Qiang for being useless.
That’s how life in the village was—quarrel one day, see each other the next. It passed, and people moved on.
Even during the last market trip, Yao Fulang let bygones be bygones and brought Chen Fulang along. And what did he do? Picked a fight with Lu Liu on the cart, made a scene, and got cursed out too.
No reason at all. Guy must be crazy.
Yao Fulang ignored him now, firmly insisting that Lu Liu had it good, that Li Feng was absolutely smitten with his little husband.
But the rumor had already been festering for days. People were bitter. No one really believed Lu Liu could be living such a sweet life.
Before they got married, everyone said Li Feng was marrying a fierce, wild fulang. And now? It was nearly the New Year, everyone was at the river washing bedding, and not once had they seen Lu Liu show his face. If he wasn’t dead, what else could it be?
“Old Lady Chen cares too much about face. You ever hear her say a single bad word about her two good-for-nothing sons-in-law?”
“She’s a widow. If she starts complaining, she’s bound to get swarmed by lonely bachelors—and then people will just sit around laughing at her. Better to keep her mouth shut.”
“Exactly. Da Feng probably learned it from her. He’s got too much pride too. Already an older man and still had to pay big money to marry someone he couldn’t even control. You think he’d go around telling people?”
“Two firecrackers in one house, neither willing to bow to the other. Even if the husband’s fierce, you think he could beat Da Feng? If someone’s getting beaten to death, it’s gotta be him.”
…
Yao Fulang: “…”
Twenty-three and they’re already calling him an ‘old man.’
Yao Fulang said, “You don’t believe me? Then go check for yourselves.”
They just laughed and said, “You’re still young. We’re just chatting—what’s the point of getting all serious? We’re having a talk, and you want to slap faces?”
Yao Fulang let out a sarcastic laugh. “I’m slapping faces? Keep running your mouths, and you’re the ones who’ll get slapped.”
He couldn’t sit there anymore. These people were ridiculous.
He stood up and walked out—just in time to see Xie Yan coming down the mountain trail in his donkey cart.
Yao Fulang’s expression froze.
He’d seen this guy before—back when he and Lu Liu went to market. Xie Yan had spotted Lu Liu, gone all glassy-eyed and dazed, chased after him like a lost puppy, said a few words and then ran off in a panic.
The man was married. Yao Fulang liked Lu Liu and had even shared his meat pie, so he kept quiet about it. But now Xie Yan had followed them here?
It’s over.
It’s so over.
Lu Fulang really is going to get beaten to death this time.
Meanwhile, Lu Liu had no idea he was supposedly doomed. He was outside, cleaning Li Feng’s leather coat near a snowbank, rubbing the fur with handfuls of snow.
The snow was freezing, so he wore thick gloves. After his hands warmed up, he’d take them off and keep scrubbing.
The mountain weather was cold, and there were plenty of snakes and bugs. Leather clothes were good protection—they could prevent bites and save a lot of trouble. Other clothes could be washed easily, but a heavy winter coat like this one? It got worn all season, barely ever washed—usually just aired out in the sun to remove odors.
Lu Liu didn’t plan on fully washing it either. He just used the snow to scrub off any visible dirt.
There weren’t many bloodstains. Whenever Li Feng came back down from the mountain, he’d spot-clean whatever needed it, but had never washed the whole thing.
Lu Liu was hard at work, huffing away.
Xie Yan came winding down the mountain road.
He had stopped at Lu Family Hamlet first that morning, told his two fathers everything, and their hearts were finally at ease. They urged him to speak well when he got to Li Village and praised Li Feng as a good man.
Xie Yan had also brought a New Year’s gift for Li Feng and Lu Liu—a rather special one.
Lu Yang had originally planned to send two illustrated booklets. Newlyweds didn’t need more food or drink—they should be learning how to make soup together while flipping through picture books.
But Xie Yan had blushed at the illustrations and couldn’t even look at the soup-making books. In a panic, he packed all of them. Lu Yang had to wrestle half of them back or he’d have sent the whole shelf.
There was no need to send wordy books—neither Li Feng nor Lu Liu could read. They wouldn’t understand them anyway.
So Lu Yang, as the older brother, sent four of his five illustrated volumes. Nine books total—Lu Liu was about to receive four of them.
Lu Yang had even said they could swap the books around later.
Xie Yan’s face stayed red from embarrassment all morning—only after being hit by the cold wind for hours did the flush finally fade.
He didn’t know that Li Feng was currently helping pound rice cakes in the new village. Lu Yang had said Li Feng lived at the foot of the mountain, so Xie Yan just headed straight for the village there and asked around. It was easy—just follow the mountain path, and the third house from the end.
He didn’t even have to count. As soon as Xie Yan arrived, he spotted Lu Liu in the courtyard, working hard and huffing away.
He didn’t dare call him by name and just shouted, “Lu Fulang!”
Lu Liu turned and looked back. Through the wooden fence of the yard, he recognized Xie Yan’s face—and freaked out!
Without a word, Lu Liu grabbed the big leather coat and bolted inside.
He slammed the main gate shut, then dashed into the house and locked that door too.
Two doors shut in a row—only then did he clutch his pounding chest, completely panicked:
What’s Xie Yan doing here?! Why did he come straight to him?
Didn’t he still like Big Brother last time they met?
Did he find out the truth and fight with Big Brother?
Outside, Xie Yan was completely bewildered.
Why’s he hiding? Didn’t he already know?
He hadn’t come just for fun—Lu Yang had said he’d only go to the clinic if he could see his younger brother first. For the sake of his husband’s health, Xie Yan wasn’t about to give up. Even locked outside, he kept knocking.
“Lu Fulang, come out, I need to talk to you.”
Lu Liu didn’t budge—he was still scared.
Seeing that, Xie Yan said, “Then call Li Feng out. I’ll talk to him instead.”
That got Lu Liu in a panic—Why bring Big Feng into this?!
He came out of the house, and in the few steps between the door and the gate, he’d already imagined the worst-case scenario.
Maybe Xie Yan, after going home and thinking it over, just couldn’t handle the spouse-swap arrangement. Maybe he’s read too many books and takes rules and traditions too seriously. Maybe now he wants to switch back.
Lu Liu’s lip quivered. He didn’t want to leave Big Feng, but he didn’t want to make trouble for his brother either. As he opened the gate, he turned his head away, looking pitiful.
“You came? …Fine, I’ll go with you.”
Xie Yan froze mid-step, one foot still in the air.
“Go with me? …Where?”
He hadn’t even invited them to dinner yet!
Lu Liu said quietly, “Go back home with you.”
Xie Yan stumbled back three steps and smacked right into the donkey. The mix of pain and shock nearly made him scream.
“What?! No way! I’m not taking you back! Don’t even think about it! Listen to me—we’re doing just fine, my husband and I! Nobody’s breaking us up!”
He was so flustered, it actually made Lu Liu calm down.
“…Then what are you here for?”
Xie Yan didn’t want to talk to Lu Liu anymore—what if they kept chatting and Lu Liu insisted on going home with him again?
He’d planned to speak to Li Feng instead—but of course, Li Feng wasn’t home either.
Both of them, him and Lu Liu, were quiet types. Reserved. Not big talkers.
Lu Liu only talked a lot when he was happy—and usually only with Li Feng. Xie Yan had only recently opened up himself, and really only liked talking to his husband.
So now, standing across the open gate from each other, the two of them stared silently. You look at me, I look at you—neither said a word. The tension was thick.
Xie Yan, having recently learned a thing or two about social etiquette, finally took the initiative and asked, “When will Li Feng be back?”
Lu Liu answered flatly, “Tonight.”
Xie Yan couldn’t wait that long. He had to drive the donkey cart home, and he’d never traveled at night alone before—he needed to get back before dark.
Lu Liu didn’t want him to go find Li Feng either. It had barely been any time since New Year’s—if Big Feng found out now, what kind of holiday would that be?
So he pressed Xie Yan again: “Why did you come?”
“I’ll tell him when he gets home,” Xie Yan replied.
And once Big Feng came back? He had no plans to say anything.
Seeing the sky starting to darken, Xie Yan finally gave in and explained.
“My husband wants to invite you two to dinner. He already mentioned it to Li Feng. Just pick a day. If not today, then come to Shangxi Village another time and find us. We’re in the county during the day, and he wants to have dinner there—less people, fewer interruptions, easier to talk. If you two come to the county, just stop by the shop.”
