Chapter 24: The Ugly Ger’s Farming Story

Li Changfeng, panting, lay on top of Xu Qing, his hand gently stroking Xu Qing’s sweat-dampened hair. Xu Qing was still in a state of post-exercise euphoria and fatigue, allowing Li Changfeng’s sweaty and robust body to embrace him without uttering a word.

Li Changfeng turned over while holding Xu Qing, using himself as a cushion. He looked at Xu Qing, who still seemed a bit absent-minded, and satisfied and content, he kissed Xu Qing’s slightly sweaty forehead.

“Are you okay?”

Seeing Xu Qing’s flushed face, Li Changfeng carefully placed him on the bed, got up, and left the room. He returned with a clean cloth and meticulously wiped Xu Qing’s body. Then, he gently touched Xu Qing’s head, which had already regained clarity.

“You’re back to your senses?”

Hearing the unmistakable pride and teasing in Li Changfeng’s tone, Xu Qing pursed his lips, not wanting to engage in too much argument. Right now, he didn’t even want to move!

“The sheets and blanket…!”

As soon as Li Changfeng heard the soft voice of his spouse, he immediately cleverly lifted Xu Qing along with the duvet, removed the marked sheets, and replaced them with fresh ones. He then took a new duvet and helped Xu Qing out of bed before quickly diving back into the warm covers, holding the nearly asleep Xu Qing in his arms.

“Sleep now…”

Li Changfeng gently touched Xu Qing’s reddened nose and affectionately kissed it. He glanced at Xu Qing’s ears adorned with earrings and knew that he must have experienced some pain today.

Xu Qing shifted his body, rubbing his fair and slightly flushed cheek against Li Changfeng’s embrace. He found a comfortable position and continued to sleep. Li Changfeng tugged the warm duvet tighter, ensuring that both he and Xu Qing were snugly wrapped up. After all, catching a cold was easy after sweating!

Looking at Xu Qing’s face in his arms, completely restored, Li Changfeng felt more sourness in his heart than the awe and joy he felt when he lifted the red veil on Xu Qing’s wedding day. His Xu Qing was just too good, so good that he wanted to hide Xu Qing away, to be the only one who could see him. But Li Changfeng also knew that such a Xu Qing wouldn’t be happy, so he would protect Xu Qing well and accompany him through the rest of their lives.

In the deep silence of the late night in the mountain village, Li Changfeng closed his eyes and let out a gentle sigh. Embracing his spouse, who had already fallen asleep, he entered the realm of dreams.

The next day, Xu Qing was awakened by hunger in the noon. He felt a bit sore in his lower back and moved his body. Noticing the refreshing absence of stickiness from the night before, he knew that Li Changfeng had taken care of him again. Xu Qing’s heart forgave Li Changfeng a little for his actions from the previous night.

“That guy has been a monk for too long!”

He struggled to sit up, but felt a strange sensation in his buttocks, and his lower back was extremely sore. “Slap!” Xu Qing laid back on the bed. He couldn’t get up!! His back was sore! His hands were sore! His legs felt weak!! Xu Qing angrily used his strength to throw the two booklets from the side of the pillow onto the floor. It was all because of these things. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been tormented like this!

Hearing the commotion in the room, Li Changfeng, who was preparing porridge, hurriedly pushed the door open and walked in.

“Awake?”

Seeing Xu Qing lying on the bed with a flushed face, glaring at him with annoyance and anger, Li Changfeng awkwardly rubbed his nose. He was about to walk over when he accidentally kicked the two booklets that Xu Qing had thrown off the bed.

“You’re still laughing!!”

Xu Qing, full of anger and embarrassment, glared at Li Changfeng, who was chuckling while holding the booklets.

“I can’t get up!”

As soon as Li Changfeng heard that, he casually placed the booklets on the wardrobe, sat down beside Xu Qing, took a deep breath, warmed his hands, and then reached into the blanket, gently massaging Xu Qing’s smooth waist.

Well, it turned out that Li Changfeng had strong hands and just the right amount of strength. Xu Qing couldn’t help but hum comfortably under his touch.

“Move a bit to the side, yes, yes, that’s it!”

“Go up a bit, no, higher!”

Li Changfeng’s eyes slightly darkened when he heard this, and he followed Xu Qing’s instructions, slowly rubbing and moving his hand upward.

“Is it here?”

Before Xu Qing could respond, Li Changfeng moved his hand further up. “Or is it here?”

Xu Qing’s face turned red as Li Changfeng’s unruly hand touched his sensitive area, and he started to feel some reactions.

“Changfeng…”

This voice made Li Changfeng smile faintly. After a night of intimacy, he knew exactly how the owner of this voice felt and what their state of mind was like. He was about to make a further move when…

“Rumble, rumble, rumble…!!”

Xu Qing’s face turned even redder! He didn’t want to be seen like this!

Li Changfeng was also taken aback, looking at Xu Qing’s belly beneath the blanket. He withdrew his hand from under the covers, feeling a bit guilty. “I should have known you’d be hungry! Just wait!”

After a while, Xu Qing smelled a delicious aroma, which only made his already growling stomach grow louder!

Li Changfeng came in, holding a bowl of porridge steadily. Even if it was plain porridge, Xu Qing’s mouth watered. Seeing the eager look in Xu Qing’s eyes, Li Changfeng helped him sit up and pulled the blanket for him.

“Here, let me feed you!”

Xu Qing was about to say he could do it himself, but he realized he wasn’t wearing any clothes! So he let Li Changfeng spoon-feed him, bite by bite. In no time, the bowl was empty, and Xu Qing licked his lips. He still wanted more.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Can’t eat too much. Today, you have to stick to a light diet!” Li Changfeng didn’t want Xu Qing to go hungry, but Xie Ama had instructed him last night that Xu Qing should only have porridge today. The reasons given made Li Changfeng feel sorry for Xu Qing and compelled him to follow through.

Xu Qing wasn’t angry; he just looked a bit disappointed at the empty bowl taken away by Li Changfeng. As someone new to the world, it was better for him to eat light.

By the time Li Changfeng entered the room again, Xu Qing had already dressed himself slowly and was sitting in front of the copper mirror given by Liu Ama, preparing to comb his hair. Just as he was about to take the wooden comb, he noticed a wooden box with engraved patterns beside it. Xu Qing picked it up and opened it to find a pair of silver hairpins—simple yet elegant.

This was the token of love Li Changfeng had given him last night, and Xu Qing was initially surprised. These silver hairpins were worth quite a lot, probably around seven or eight taels. Considering that Li Changfeng had given him all his money before, Xu Qing listened to Li Changfeng’s explanation and learned about the situation in the Li family. What surprised him even more was that Li Changfeng had given him twenty-five taels of silver!

A pair of big hands took the wooden comb from Xu Qing’s view. Li Changfeng gently stroked Xu Qing’s dark, long hair.

“I’ll style your hair for you.”

Xu Qing put down the wooden box and teasingly looked at Li Changfeng, who was fumbling while combing his hair. “Don’t comb all my hair away!”

Li Changfeng smiled and carefully untangled Xu Qing’s slightly tangled long hair. The hairstyle for a married ger was different from the hairstyle for an unmarried one. Before marriage, it would simply be gathered into a bundle and fixed with something. After marriage, it would be partially gathered and tied together, then secured with hairpins or something similar.

In contrast to the affection between Xu Qing and Li Changfeng, the atmosphere in the Li family was quite tense!

“So, the ger who married Second Brother is the ‘ugly ger’ from the next village?” Li Ama asked with a gloomy tone, questioning Eldest Li, who had just woken up from his sleep.

Eldest Li nodded. He hadn’t expected it to be the same person referred to as the ‘ugly ger’ who couldn’t find a husband!

Li Laosan enjoyed the head massage from Li Wangshi and also nodded in agreement.

“This… This is driving me crazy!” Li Ama trembled with anger. Before the marriage, second son had met but still considered marrying the ‘ugly ger.’ He clearly knew that the person was the ‘ugly ger,’ yet he still married him.

Li Xiao’er was also displeased. How could that ‘ugly ger’ be worthy of his Second Brother?

Old man Li shook his pipe, stood up, and picked up a hoe. “Old man, what are you doing?” Li Ama stood up and looked at Old man Li.

“Going to the fields! What else can I do!” Without even looking at Li Ama’s unpleasant expression, Old man Li walked out of the door. “Eldest Brother, Third Brother, there’s food in the pot. Eat it and come to the fields!” With the absence of the second son, there was more work to be done in the house.

Eldest Li and Third Brother Li glanced at Li Ama. Seeing that he didn’t say anything, they went into the kitchen to eat. They couldn’t remember how they had come back last night after drinking so much, but Eldest Li’s wife and Li Wangshi had taken their children and left the house. Third Brother Li’s child was still young and being carried by Li Wangshi.

“Ama…” Li Xiao’er stepped forward and tugged at Li Ama’s sleeve. Startled by the sudden pull, Li Ama stumbled a bit, which scared Li Xiao’er. “Ama! Are you okay?!”

“How can I be okay?! He’s so unwilling to stay in this family! He’d rather go to the ‘ugly ger’s’ house than obediently marry a wife here!”

***

“I don’t know how much you guys drank last night! You were brought back by Butcher Liu in the middle of the night, and we couldn’t wake you up no matter what!” Chen Qi, who had just woken up as well, was being scolded by his wife.

“I was just angry at Li Laosan! So, I drank my heart out to get back at him.” Who knew Eldest Li, clueless as ever, would ‘help’ him drink too! If it weren’t for Li Laosan, Li Changfeng wouldn’t have entered the ‘ugly ger’s’ house?!”

Chen Qi’s wife was taken aback. “The ‘ugly ger’? Is it the one from the next village?”

Footsteps sounded from inside the house, and then a haggard-looking Chen Hong also looked at Chen Qi.

Chen Qi immediately stood up. “Xiao Hong, are you feeling better?”

Chen Hong nodded absentmindedly. “Brother, are you saying that where Changfeng Big Brother went is the ‘ugly ger’s’ house?!” Chen Qi didn’t think much of it. “Of course! The person who called out the new couple’s names yesterday said so. Xu Qing, Brother Qing! Isn’t that the ‘ugly ger’? His family lives at the foot of the mountain, and they are the only ones there!”

“How is that possible? How could Big Brother Changfeng agree to the ‘ugly ger’?” Chen Hong couldn’t believe it. Li Changfeng, who was so outstanding, would choose the well-known ‘ugly ger’?

“That’s exactly how it is! I don’t know what Li Changfeng is thinking!” Chen Qi grumbled. Li Changfeng looked very happy during the ceremony yesterday, not at all like he was being forced into it. Could it be that after being single for so long, he would really go for anyone?

“It’s better to marry our little brother than the ‘ugly ger’!” Chen Qi said.

“Chen Qi!”

“What are you saying, you little brat?!”

The first voice belonged to Chen Qi’s wife, while the second was Chen Ama, who had just returned from outside.

Chen Ama walked up and slapped Chen Qi’s face, startling Chen Qi’s wife and Chen Hong!

“I told you to stop saying whatever comes to your mind! Your little brother is an innocent unmarried ger! If this remark spreads, how do you think he will live?!” Chen Ama’s slap was not just for show; it was genuine. There was a red handprint on Chen Qi’s face!

Chen Qi was stunned. It had been many years since he had been scolded and punished by Ama and Father Chen. He was about to speak when Chen Ama’s angry outburst stopped him.

Chen Qi’s wife slapped Chen Qi, who was still dazed. “What are you standing there for?! Apologize to Ama and your younger brother!” Chen Ama’s slap hurt just by looking at it. How could he stand there and let himself be hit?

“I’m sorry, Ama, Xiao Hong. It’s my fault! I can’t change! I can’t change this damned mouth!” Chen Qi kept slapping his own mouth while apologizing to the infuriated Chen Ama and tearful Chen Hong!

Chen Qi’s wife looked at him with a pained expression but didn’t say anything to dissuade him. This was a problem that needed to be fixed! Chen Ama looked at Chen Qi’s condition and felt sorry for him, but even though his anger had subsided, he didn’t let go of his stern expression. He pulled Chen Hong back into the house.

“Look at you! Come on, let me apply something for you!” Chen Qi’s wife gently touched his husband’s slightly swollen cheek and pulled Chen Qi back into the house.

Chen Hong, who was dragged back to the room by Chen Ama, kept thinking about what Chen Qi had said. If even his brother thought that way, why hadn’t Big Brother Changfeng considered him instead?

“Stop thinking about impossible things!” Chen Ama knew what his son was thinking just by looking at his expression.

“Ama…” Chen Hong looked at Chen Ama with teary eyes. How could he forget after so many years?

Chen Ama sighed. “Li Changfeng is already a married man. With your looks and character, do you really think you won’t find a suitable partner?!”

Chen Hong shook his head in pain. Even if he tried so hard to be worthy of big brother Changfeng, the other person didn’t want him. Instead, he chose the “ugly ger”! Even if he met someone better, they wouldn’t be Li Changfeng!

Chen Ama looked at Chen Hong’s expression and felt a mixture of frustration and determination brewing in his heart. He had some plans in mind.

***

Xu Qing looked at the wooden tub in front of him with excitement. “Oh my, it’s such a pity that you’re not a carpenter!” He had just casually complained that it would be nice to have a good soak in a bathtub, and Li Changfeng, without understanding the remark, asked about the shape of the tub. As a result, Li Changfeng spent the whole afternoon selecting wood from the back of the mountain and came back to make it right in front of him.

Li Changfeng was carving patterns outside the tub. It would be both beautiful and aesthetically pleasing! “Since I was thirteen, whenever I finished my chores at home, I would secretly go to town and work as an assistant for carpenters. Gradually, I learned some simple things.”

Xu Qing remembered the twenty-five taels of silver that Li Changfeng had given him last night, and his heart felt a tinge of sourness. Although he knew that rural children mature early, he still felt sorry for Li Changfeng.

“What else can you make?” Xu Qing thought that this might be another way to make a living!

“Wardrobes, cupboards, and stools. I can make simple ones!” Li Changfeng moved the wooden tub to a spot where the sunlight had not yet dissipated and began bringing out dry wood from the woodshed, splitting it into manageable pieces so it would be easier to burn.

Xu Qing’s eyes lit up as he thought about modern furniture. If he made some modifications to modern furniture and sold them here, it would be a big attraction!

While Xu Qing was thinking about exchanging ideas with Li Changfeng, he suddenly choked when he looked up.

Li Changfeng was exerting force while splitting wood, and soon he started feeling hot. He took off his outer shirt, revealing a shoulder-baring undershirt. As he lifted the axe, his well-defined biceps shone brightly in front of Xu Qing’s eyes, reminding him of the passionate encounter they had last night. Sweat dripped down from Li Changfeng’s determined face, flowed across his chest and abdominal muscles, and descended further down!

Unconsciously, Xu Qing swallowed his saliva. Li Changfeng naturally sensed the scorching gaze, and he smirked, deliberately turning in a certain direction to fully display his robust physique to Xu Qing, enjoying the sight of Xu Qing practically drooling!

“Satisfied?” Li Changfeng’s low and seductive voice sounded in Xu Qing’s ears. Even his voice was so enchanting. Xu Qing couldn’t help but nod in agreement, until he heard Li Changfeng’s low laughter. That’s when he snapped back to reality! Embarrassing! Truly embarrassing!

“Just wait until your body gets used to it, then I’ll give it to you. Don’t be in a hurry!”

Hearing Li Changfeng’s suggestive words, Xu Qing blushed and shouted with a thick neck, “Who’s in a hurry! I’m not in a hurry!”

“Yes, yes, I’m in a hurry! I’m in a desperate hurry!” However, Li Changfeng’s words made Xu Qing feel embarrassed once again. He felt like he was being unreasonable, but he wasn’t really in a hurry to begin with!

As the warm afternoon sun shone on him, Xu Qing started feeling drowsy. He yawned, adjusted his slightly sore waist, and shifted his sitting position on the stool. Watching Li Changfeng quickly split most of the firewood, he became a bit absent-minded. “Having someone who can do physical labor in the house is truly different!”

After hearing this comment, Li Changfeng felt even more strongly that Xu Qing had been leading a difficult life all by himself! He had only split a bit of firewood, yet it moved Xu Qing to this extent! (Xu Qing: “…………Who said I was moved!”)

“What are you going to do?” Xu Qing looked at Li Changfeng, who was holding a hoe after stacking the firewood neatly.

Li Changfeng used the hoe to compact the loose soil that Xu Qing had previously loosened in the courtyard. The front of the yard didn’t need to be used for planting vegetables. After spring, the rainy season was prone to water accumulation, which could damage the house foundation. However, Li Changfeng didn’t explicitly mention this. Instead, he said a few words to avoid unnecessary concerns.

“We had many guests yesterday, and they trampled all over the place. We don’t need it anymore.” The “heavy” mentioned here was obviously referring to Xu Qing, while Li Changfeng didn’t want Xu Qing to worry about anything else.

Xu Qing looked at the loose and messy “vegetable garden” in the yard and agreed with Li Changfeng’s words. However, he also remembered that there were seeds in the space that could be planted soon!

“How long does it take for us to cultivate the fields? Previously, when I was alone, I only cultivated one acre, which was just enough for my own consumption. After paying the taxes, it barely sustained me. The vegetable garden was also small, only around the house, enough for one person’s consumption. Now that we are two people, I think we can cultivate the remaining land as well!” Xu Qing summarized the situation to Li Changfeng in a soft voice. They were already a family.

Li Changfeng wiped the sweat off his forehead, finished stacking the final piece of land, and put away the hoe. He washed his hands by the well. “Once I loosen the fields in the next few days, we can start planting. I took a look at the unplanted field this morning and watered it. I estimate it will be fully loosened and ready for planting in two days. By then, I’ll dig up more of the fields to make it easier for planting!”

Xu Qing handed Li Changfeng a towel to wash his face, which helped alleviate the heat in the room.

“Feeling better?” Li Changfeng pulled Xu Qing closer and rubbed his waist with his big hand. “Much better. What would you like to eat tonight?” Xu Qing enjoyed Li Changfeng’s warmth and lazily lay against his slightly sweaty chest.

“I want porridge!” Xu Qing could only eat light food. “I can have porridge, but what about you?” He pulled down the hand that was rubbing his waist and handed Li Changfeng the clothes he had taken off earlier. The afternoon temperature was different from noon, and if he sweated and caught a breeze, he might easily catch a cold.

“I’ll have it with you!”

Li Changfeng swiftly put on his clothes, took Xu Qing’s hand, and led him back inside.

“You rest in the room again while I go cut some pig grass. I’ll be back soon.” After kissing Xu Qing’s cheek, Li Changfeng put on his backpack and went outside.

Xu Qing didn’t want to sleep again. He had slept until noon today, so it would be good for his body to move around and stretch. He couldn’t let Li Changfeng accompany him to have porridge!

There was still some leftover food from yesterday’s celebration, but Li Changfeng had already eaten the same dishes twice today. So, Xu Qing planned to cook fish! Of course, Li Changfeng would have to catch the fish when he returned because it was difficult for Xu Qing to go downhill to the river with his situation right now.

Looking at the three remaining Chinese cabbages, Xu Qing felt a bit distressed. With just him and Li Changfeng, they couldn’t finish all three in one meal, but if they didn’t eat them, they would go bad by tomorrow morning!

“Right! I can make pickled vegetables!”

Deciding to make it, Xu Qing found two medium-sized jars, washed them clean, filled a pot with enough water, and added a drop of spiritual spring water. It enhanced the flavor. Then he lit the fire. Not long after, he heard the water boiling in the pot. He was about to start washing the jars with hot water when Li Changfeng returned.

“Why didn’t you wait for me to come back and do it? You need to rest more!” Li Changfeng held Xu Qing’s hand, which was about to open the pot lid, and sat him down on a stool. “It’s your fault!”

“Yes, yes, it’s my fault. What do you want to do? Just tell me, and I’ll do it!” Li Changfeng opened the pot lid and saw a pot of water. He thought Xu Qing wanted to take a bath, but unfortunately, the bathtub needed two more days to dry!

“Scoop some hot water and rinse the two jars on the table!” Xu Qing wasn’t being coy. With free labor at his disposal, he felt relaxed and happy!

Li Changfeng followed Xu Qing’s instructions and carefully rinsed the jars. This satisfied Xu Qing, who used to worry that men wouldn’t be meticulous in their work.

“Then pour the hot water from the pot into the vegetable basin. Let it cool. We still have some time. Go to the river downstream and catch a big spiny fish for me,” Xu Qing said, thinking that Li Changfeng might have some doubts. He added, “I have a use for it!”

However, Li Changfeng didn’t ask anything and simply picked up the wooden bucket by the well. After greeting Xu Qing, he walked away. Xu Qing and the other orphans often caught fish for fun when they were young. Although Li Changfeng and his brothers didn’t catch many spiny fish when they were younger, he was still fast. By the time the hot water in the vegetable basin hadn’t completely cooled down, he had already returned with several fish in hand. “I was afraid that one fish wouldn’t be enough for you to play with, so I caught a few more.” His pants got slightly wet from the river water, but the rest of his body remained dry.

Hearing this, Xu Qing wanted to roll his eyes. Who said he wanted to play with fish! “First, feed the piglet, and then I’ll tell you what to do next.” He couldn’t let Li Changfeng gut the fish now, or else his hands would be covered in fishy smell!

After Li Changfeng fed the piglet and cleaned the pigsty, the water finally cooled down.

“Divide the water into two parts and fill the jars up to about halfway. Yes, pour a little more. Perfect!”

“Clean these three heads of cabbage, separate the leaves from the stems, and cut them into strips,” Xu Qing watched Li Changfeng’s skilled knife work and couldn’t help but give some instructions.

“Is this okay?” Li Changfeng paused and let Xu Qing take a look. Only after Xu Qing nodded did Li Changfeng resume cutting quickly.

“Crush these pieces of ginger a little bit and throw them into the jars, and also add this,” Xu Qing found the grounded Sichuan peppercorns. “Put them in too.”

Although Li Changfeng was curious about the taste of Sichuan peppercorns, he didn’t ask. He was somewhat looking forward to what this dish would taste like!

“Make sure to add plenty of salt!” Since it was their first time making pickled vegetables and they were using plain water, they could add more salt. Salt wasn’t expensive here, and every household had it stocked.

“Then throw the cut cabbage in, put the leaves in one jar and the stems in another.”

Once Li Changfeng finished, Xu Qing said, “Cover the jars with lids, pour a little water along the edges of the jars, and we can eat it tomorrow night!” Xu Qing added some spiritual spring water, which would speed up the pickling process.

Li Changfeng placed the jars on an empty space in the utility room as instructed, and then he followed Xu Qing’s request and killed a large fish. “Have you eaten this before?” Li Changfeng’s tone was somewhat inscrutable.

“I know what you’re thinking. After you eat the fish I make, you might end up catching fish for me every day!” Xie Ama’s improvement in cooking fish was thanks in part to Uncle Xie occasionally catching a couple of fish for him to cook!

“No need, I know how to do it now. I’ll make it for you!” Since Xu Qing said he knew how to cook fish, Li Changfeng went along with it. If the taste wasn’t good, he would earn more money in the future to ensure Xu Qing could have meat every day. He couldn’t make him angry!

“Don’t just talk, take action!” Xu Qing looked at the fish in the pot and teased Li Changfeng.

Li Changfeng didn’t argue either. “By the way, I ran into Uncle Xie this morning. He said we should go catch some baby chicks tomorrow!”

Xu Qing had almost forgotten about the baby chicks! “They hatched already?! I completely forgot about it!”

“They hatched a while ago, but we have to wait until the chicks are strong enough before catching them. Otherwise, if we catch them too early, not many will survive!” Xu Qing scooped up the tantalizing fish meat. His wife was truly amazing! Even a spiny fish could be turned into such a delicious dish. It was no less delicious than pork!

“Then let’s go to Uncle Xie’s house to catch them as soon as we return tomorrow!” The sooner we catch them, the sooner we can eat chicken!

“Alright!”

After enjoying a bowl of porridge and savoring the delicious fish, they finished their hygiene routines and went to sleep. They had to wake up early the next morning.

Holding his warm and cozy wife in his arms at night, Li Changfeng felt a bit enamored. Once he indulged in carnal desires, he couldn’t resist the temptation. Just holding him like this, even if Xu Qing didn’t do anything, he would still react! Oh well, his wife’s well-being was more important!

***

Returning to the ancestral home meant going back after one day of marriage. When Xu Qing woke up early in the morning, there was no one beside him. He looked outside the window, and it was still dim. Where did Li Changfeng go? After putting on his clothes, he walked into the kitchen and saw that breakfast was already prepared. Xu Qing became even more puzzled. Where is he? Not long after, Li Changfeng came back with a hen from somewhere.

“Did you get it from the Wei family?” Li Changfeng said last night that he would take care of the gift for their visit. Xu Qing didn’t need to worry about it.

The second son of the Wei family in the village and Li Changfeng were good friends, even in the military camp. Yesterday, they came to Xu Qing’s house with others to give gifts and found out that the person visiting was actually Li Changfeng!

Knowing that Li Changfeng was skilled in carpentry, and since he himself was about to get married, he wanted Li Changfeng to make two large wardrobes for him. Li Changfeng agreed without mentioning any payment, but Second Wei insisted on not accepting it. So Li Changfeng asked if they had any chickens at home, and since they did, Li Changfeng asked for a hen in exchange for making two large wardrobes for him!

Last night, Li Changfeng had also mentioned this matter to Xu Qing. They were assigned to the same location in the military camp, and over the years, they had developed a good rapport. So when it came to the wardrobes for Second Wei’s wedding, Li Changfeng didn’t want to talk about money. Since they didn’t have a gift prepared for the visit, Li Changfeng mentioned this exchange.

“You know what, this old hen is quite big! Second Wei is indeed just like his father, straightforward!” Xu Qing observed the hen clucking nonstop and felt satisfied. When Li Changfeng came to visit, Xu Qing was worried that there wouldn’t be anyone familiar to him in the village, and he might feel lonely. But now he felt reassured. At least there was someone else besides himself that he could talk to.

***

Li Ama got up early in the morning. He wore a blue shirt that he only wore on special occasions and neatly combed his hair. He sat in the main room, and Old man Li didn’t go out to work either. Today was the day the newly married couple return to the ancestral home, so the Li family members were all at home.

Eldest Li and the others were also dressed in relatively clean clothes that they rarely wore. This return was also an opportunity for second brother’s wife to officially meet them. It was about giving the second brother some face, right?!

“They’re here! They’re here!” Eldest Li’s second son, who was guarding the courtyard gate, saw a cart approaching from not far away, and one of the people sitting on it was Li Changfeng. He quickly ran back to the main room to report the news!

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Upon hearing that someone had arrived, everyone adjusted their sitting postures.

“Father, Ama, big brother, big brother’s wife, third brother, third brother’s wife, Xiao’er, this is my wife, Xu Qing.”

The members of the Li family looked at Xu Qing’s white and tender face, his bright eyes, and his sweet smile. They were somewhat astonished. Was this really the “ugly ger”? News about Xu Qing’s beauty had already spread among the people in his own village, but it hadn’t reached the neighboring villages yet!

“Wife, these are my father, Ama, big brother and his family, third brother and his family, and my youngest brother.” Li Changfeng carefully pointed out the children to Xu Qing, letting him know who belonged to whom.

“Father, Ama, this is a small token of appreciation from me and Changfeng. I wish you both good health and all the best in everything!”

Xu Qing asked Li Changfeng to bring out the hen and presented it to Li Ama. He also took out some pieces of new fabric for Li Ama, Eldest Li’s wife, Li Laosan’s wife, and Li Xiao’er. “These are the colors I picked. I’m not sure if they suit your preferences!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? We’re all family!” Li Ama, seeing Xu Qing completely different from what he had imagined, opened up with a smile and pretended to be angry. Once Li Ama accepted it, everyone started laughing and joking. They received red envelopes from Old man Li, and Xu Qing gave candies to the children.

As rural folks with fewer formalities, the children were delighted to receive candies, which they rarely had. They happily ran out to show off to their little friends. Eldest Li’s wife and Li Laosan’s wife were pleased to receive good-quality fabric. They could make clothes for their husbands and children. Li Xiao’er was also happy. There’s no ger who doesn’t love new clothes!

“You seem to be easygoing. Our second son doesn’t talk much, but he’s an honest person. If he ever mistreats you, we won’t let him off the hook! Live a good life and have a few more children in the future!” The more Li Ama looked at Xu Qing, the more satisfied he became. He remembered that his father and mother were no longer around, so his tone became more loving.

Xu Qing smiled and nodded. That guy was definitely not honest, but he could handle him!

“This is my room. I gave it to Li Xiao’er when I move out!” Li Changfeng showed Xu Qing around his room.

“Xiao’er seems to be of marrying age. It’s time for him to have a bigger space!” Xu Qing didn’t think he and Li Xiao’er looked the same age at all.

“Second brother, second brother, it’s time to eat!” Li Xiao’er knocked on the open door, looking at the two of them with a bright smile. He used to think that “ugly ger” couldn’t match his second brother. But now, looking at the elegant Xu Qing, he wondered if his second brother could handle him!

***

“Where are you going?” Chen Ama looked at Chen Hong, who was walking toward the courtyard gate.

Chen Hong clasped his hands and calmly replied, “I’m going to pick vegetables.”

“Chen Qi’s wife!”

“Ai!” Chen Qi’s wife, who was about to prepare lunch, heard Chen Ama calling and quickly came out.

“Is there enough food for lunch today?” Chen Ama stared at the slightly trembling Chen Hong and asked Chen Qi’s wife.

“It’s enough. I just picked a bunch of vegetables.” Chen Qi’s wife didn’t think much of it and thought that Chen Ama was worried about not having enough vegetables.

“I thought it might not be enough, so Xiao Hong wanted to go pick some. You cook. Xiao Hong, go help!” Don’t think he doesn’t know what his son wants to do. Today is the day of second Li’s return visit, and of course, his son would want to see Li Changfeng!

Chen Hong knew that Chen Ama saw through his intentions. He wanted to sneak a glance at Li Changfeng and Xu Qing, just to see if Li Changfeng willingly entered the “ugly ger’s” house!

“What are you waiting for? Go now!”

Chen Qi’s wife finally noticed the strange atmosphere between Chen Ama and Chen Hong. He wiped his hands and gently pulled Chen Hong, saying, “Go inside, or else Ama will get angry.”

Chen Hong looked up at Chen Ama and saw a warning and dissatisfaction in his eyes. His heart sank, feeling numb as Chen Qi’s wife pulled him into the kitchen. His own Ama had never looked at him with such eyes before. Did he really disappoint him? Was everything he had done to become better for Li Changfeng all in vain? He couldn’t believe it!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thingyan:

Did I accidentally translate three chapters? Holy crap, this chapter was loooooong. Over 6,000 words. It took me a long time to translate this. That’s why I’m late uploading it today. I almost split it into two.

Anyway, finally everyone knows Xu Qing is no longer the ugly ger. Rude of them to call people like that though.