Ch 26: My Wolf Husband

Lin Shuishi had experienced too much in just one day and night, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted. He lay on the heated brick bed and slept deeply through the night.

At dawn, he was awakened by pain.

Yesterday, in his frantic state, with all his thoughts focused on Fuli, he hadn’t noticed anything. But after a night of sleep, the pain in his shoulder and chest, forming a line of fire, made itself known. When he opened his collar to check, he saw that the area chafed by the leather strap the night before was slightly inflamed, red, and swollen.

Looking at his palms, he saw that the skin was broken, his fingertips covered with knife marks, his legs sore, and his eyes swollen and uncomfortable—he was a mess.

But when he glanced at Fuli, lying on his stomach on the kang bed, breathing steadily, his mood instantly improved! It felt worth it! Lin Shuishi sat on the edge of the bed, gritting his teeth as he pulled out the splinters from his fingers, shook his small hands, and happily got up to prepare breakfast.

He picked up the fire striker from the stove and, mimicking Uncle Zheng, struck it a few times to light the dry grass in the stove. Then he went to the neatly stacked woodpile in the yard and grabbed a bundle of dry wood.

Lin Shuishi felt guilty. Ever since he started living alone, Dongsheng had been coming back from hunting on Xishan and helping him with tasks like fetching water and chopping wood whenever he had free time. Now that he had gotten through the tough times, he wanted to properly thank him.

He opened the cellar, took out some potatoes and cabbage, and pulled out all the lamb fat that Uncle Zheng had specially saved for him. Country folks had little fat in their diet, and this sheep was particularly fat, with a thick layer of fat in its belly! The entire family had stripped it off and hung it in the empty granary in Lin Shuishi’s yard.

He cut the lamb fat into small pieces and put it in the iron pot, rendering a good amount of cracklings and animal fat—it smelled wonderful!

Lin Shuishi poured out most of the fat from the pot into a container and set it aside to solidify, intending to take it to the Zheng family later. Uncle Zheng and Big Brother Zheng were both carpenters, working hard every day, so they needed a diet with enough meat.

Then Lin Shuishi used the remaining fat to fry some potato slices, adding just a bit of salt, and they turned out crispy and fragrant. He quickly grabbed another small clay pot to make meat porridge for Fuli, thinking to himself, Will Fuli eat porridge? I’ve only ever seen him devour raw meat with blood dripping from it.

Lin Shuishi carefully took the small bowl, quietly walked back into the house, squatted down, and blew on the hot porridge before feeding it to Fuli, spoonful by spoonful. Fuli seemed to swallow it consciously, which reassured Lin Shuishi. He gently wiped Fuli’s mouth and, with a spring in his step, headed down the slope.

He happened to catch Zheng Cheng’an arriving at the gate in the ox cart, having rushed back from the county overnight. Zheng Cheng’an hurriedly called out to Lin Shuishi, “Shui Ge’er! Here, I’ve brought the medicine for you. Boil it down to one bowl from three, and give it to your benefactor to drink!”

Lin Shuishi immediately ran up, placed a small basin of solidified lamb fat and cracklings in his hands, grabbed the medicine, and rushed back home, eager to prepare the medicine for Fuli! Halfway up the slope, he remembered to say, “Fourth Brother, thank the doctor for me! And thank you too. I’ve got plenty of lamb fat; I’ll bring some to your house to eat!”

After saying that, he continued on his way. Even when he reached the courtyard gate, he turned around and shouted, “Don’t you dare bring it back! Or I’ll spill it out.”

In just a brief encounter, Zheng Cheng’an had been thoroughly outmaneuvered by the young man! He stood there, holding the basin of lamb fat, watching Lin Shuishi rush back to prepare the medicine.

Aunt Zheng also came out after hearing Lin Shuishi’s shouting. Seeing her youngest son in long robes holding the basin, she quickly took it from him, scolding, “That little fellow is really something! Talking about spilling it out—what a character!”

Cheng’an laughed, “He’s really changed from how he was as a child, much more lively!”

As Aunt Zheng walked back into the house with her son, she sighed, “Ah, he’s suffered a lot. Who knows how his uncle’s family mistreated the poor boy?”

Cheng’an knew about how his father and some uncles had gone to Yuanshan Village to demand his return. Although the Rehe family had a valid claim, there was always a chance that connections in the county could cause trouble for them. He had been keeping an eye on the matter but hadn’t mentioned it to avoid worrying his mother. Instead, he talked about other things.

“I’ve got the money for the pelts Shui Ge’er sold and the medicine my senior prepared for his injuries. But that little guy just grabbed the medicine for his benefactor and ran off, so impatient.”

Uncle Zheng was just about to head out to do some carpentry work when he heard his youngest son, who had taken on the tone of an elder, criticizing the young fellow for being impatient! As he buttoned his fur coat, he shot back, “And you talk about him—you’re not much older than Shui Ge’er yourself! Stop making a mess in the kitchen and hurry up and take those things to him!”

The eldest daughter-in-law, who was tidying up the dishes, covered her mouth and laughed when she heard this, “Cheng’an, don’t go on about Shui Ge’er—he’s Father’s favorite! Look, you’ve gotten yourself scolded now!”

Old Man Zheng brushed off the dust and said, “I speak with reason. Don’t be fooled by Shui Ge’er’s youth; the boy is kind-hearted and has a strong mind. He’ll be a figure to reckon with, just like Brother Lin! If he weren’t a ‘ge’er,’ none of you boys could keep up with him!”

Cheng’an quickly agreed, “Absolutely, absolutely.” Then he turned to his sister-in-law with a smile, “Sister-in-law! Look, little Shui brought us a whole basin of fat, saying that if we don’t eat it, he’ll throw it out!”

The sister-in-law hurriedly wiped her hands on her clothes and carefully took the basin of fat from her mother-in-law’s hands. To be honest, their family barely got to eat this much fat in a year. Winters were tough, with nothing but vegetables and turnips day in and day out—just being able to fill their stomachs was a blessing.

She glanced at Old Man Zheng, and seeing him wave his hand, she happily carried the basin to the kitchen! Tomorrow, she would add more fat to the dishes—after all, the children were still growing! In her heart, she was grateful to Shui Ge’er.

As she watched Huan Ge’er, who was sitting by the stove eating leftovers, she felt a mix of pity for these ge’ers who had it tough as male concubines, and the age-old jealousy that all women carried.

After standing there for a while, she silently scooped a spoonful of the fragrant cracklings into Huan Ge’er’s bowl before turning away to wash the dishes…

Lin Shuishi had no idea that he had already become the “model child” in the Zheng household. He simply returned home and focused on brewing medicine. Just as he was vigorously fanning the fire, Zheng Cheng’an arrived. He entered the side room where Lin Shuishi was brewing medicine, placed down the random items he was carrying, and reached out to pat the little black horse that was nuzzling Lin Shuishi’s hair.

“Wow, it seems like you’ve grown taller again!” The little horse snorted happily and went back to munching on soybean meal and fine grass.

“Why did Fourth Brother come by?” Lin Shuishi asked while continuing his work.

Cheng’an noticed Lin Shuishi’s slightly swollen hand holding the fan and said, “My senior asked me to bring you some good medicine for bruises and injuries—he said you got hurt.”

Lin Shuishi’s big eyes, which had only recently recovered from swelling, widened again. “Huh? The doctor could tell that too!”

“Of course. My senior is skilled in all four diagnostic methods—he’s amazing. You should apply the medicine; I’ll keep an eye on the fire.” With that, he took the fan from Lin Shuishi’s hand.

Having sweated a bit from brewing the medicine, Lin Shuishi’s back and chest were now even more painful. Seeing someone offering help, he didn’t hesitate and went back to the main room, sitting by the bed to take off his clothes.

Cheng’an quickly spoke up, “Wait a minute! Why are you taking off your clothes?”

Lin Shuishi looked up as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “To apply the medicine, of course. Are you going to help me? It’s fine—I can reach my back. You just keep an eye on the medicine!”

Cheng’an, young yet well-mannered, stood there trembling with the fan in hand, unsure whether he was embarrassed or angry, “You, you, you!”

“You, you, you—what’s with all the ‘yous’!” Lin Shuishi thought to himself, This guy probably isn’t even older than me—why is he so fussy?

“You’re a ‘ge’er,’ and you’re just undressing without closing the door!” Seeing that Lin Shuishi wasn’t paying him any mind, Cheng’an stepped forward and, with a “bang,” shut the wooden door between the main and side rooms.

Lin Shuishi clicked his tongue and reminded, “Make sure you keep a close eye on the medicine!” Cheng’an didn’t respond, clearly annoyed.

After applying the ointment, Lin Shuishi felt the coolness soothe the swollen areas, easing the pain. Feeling much more comfortable, he returned to check on the medicine. Cheng’an looked at little Shui’er and sighed, feeling as if his parents had given him another little brother—one who could steal attention but was also irresistibly endearing!

He playfully tapped Lin Shuishi’s head with the fan and pulled out a small bag of silver from his pocket. “Three pelts, sold them to a friend, got eight taels of silver for them. Keep it safe and use it sparingly—it should be enough to get you through the winter comfortably!”

Lin Shuishi had been here for quite some time, but this was the first time he’d seen silver! It was melted down into small pieces, and it looked like they would need to be weighed.

Seeing the way Lin Shuishi’s eyes lit up, Cheng’an doubted his father’s words from earlier. A big figure! Really? Look at him, he’s even got a little snot running!

Shaking his head, Cheng’an turned and headed home.

Lin Shuishi settled Fuli in, warmed the brick bed, but didn’t stoke the fire too much. If it got too hot, Fuli’s back injury could make it uncomfortable since he wouldn’t be able to turn over.

The day passed quickly, and after finishing everything, Lin Shuishi rummaged through the basket at the foot of the bed to check the eggs he had collected. After examining them for a while, he realized they were just pretty patterned eggs and nothing special. So, he sat down and started spinning yarn. The clothes here weren’t very good at keeping out the cold wind, which made them stiff! He missed the soft, warm, close-fitting sweaters from modern times.

Looking at the basket full of wolf fur, he realized this was going to be a delicate and time-consuming task. Before he knew it, night had fallen, and Lin Shuishi lit the oil lamp, quietly working while occasionally glancing at Fuli. He took out the large sweater he had knitted and held it up against Fuli’s body, estimating the fit. It seemed fine, though he wasn’t sure if it would be too tight.

If it was too tight, it would show every muscle on his body. Lin Shuishi had even knitted a low collar, worried it might interfere with Fuli’s hunting activities. The thought made Lin Shuishi smile to himself.

As night fell, the oil in the lamp burned out, flickered a few times, and then went out.

Lin Shuishi yawned, planning to snuggle into his thick blanket. Since he hadn’t stoked the fire much, the room was already getting a bit chilly.

But just then, he heard a familiar scratching at the door. He quickly sat up, opened the door, and stepped outside. The little black horse followed, flicking its little braid and sticking its narrow black muzzle out from behind Lin Shuishi, peering forward.

A few tall white wolves had just arrived from Dongshan, still slightly panting from their run. They were carrying a mountain deer unique to Dongshan in their mouths, intending to offer it to their convalescing leader, Fuli, just as they had once cared for the wolf king.

Lin Shuishi quickly glanced around in the moonlight, relieved to see no movement in the village below. He turned back and hurriedly motioned for the wolves to take the deer back. “Take it back, I appreciate the gesture, but I can’t explain this!”

One mountain sheep falling down the slope was one thing, but a deer? And if they brought a wild ox tomorrow, would that also be from the slope? What mysterious place was this slope, anyway?

The little forest behind his house was something Old Man Zheng knew like the back of his hand—there wasn’t even a chicken in it! If he accepted the wolves’ prey and someone found out, it would be disastrous.

Anything out of the ordinary is sure to cause trouble.

Besides, he didn’t lack food, and Fuli, still unconscious, couldn’t chew raw meat anyway.

Although the wolves didn’t understand Lin Shuishi’s words, they sensed his emotions. This “two-legged one” didn’t want the mountain deer, so they exchanged glances and ran off with the deer.

Relieved, Lin Shuishi went back inside to sleep. But it wasn’t long before there was another knock at the door! When Lin Shuishi checked, the wolves had brought something different—a small, thin wild goat from a nearby mountain.

Lin Shuishi quickly shook his head, refusing it, and urged them to go back to the mountains! The wolves, sensing the rejection, left again.

A short while later, there was another knock. This time, it was a brightly colored bird. Lin Shuishi sighed helplessly. If he accepted it, the white wolves would surely return tomorrow. What if the villagers discovered them? How could he protect the wolves from being hunted?

He wasn’t worried about the wolves; he was worried about the villagers…

And so, throughout the night, the determined and loyal white wolves brought every nearby prey to his doorstep—deer, pheasants, field mice…

Finally, at their wits’ end, the white wolves, understanding Lin Shuishi’s preference for “plant-based” food, even brought him a thick tree branch! Lin Shuishi shook his head in disbelief, while the little black horse nibbled on a couple of leaves, only to be chased away by the white wolves.

After rejecting the tree branch, Lin Shuishi finally had some peace. The outside had been quiet for a long time. But just as he was drifting off to sleep, there was another scratch at the door. Lin Shuishi took a deep breath and opened the door, determined to have a serious talk with these diligent, responsible, and stubborn “good wolves”!

But he froze in place, stunned. Under the bright moonlight, the leader of the white wolves, standing at the front of the pack, was holding a familiar little wolf pup in its strong jaws! The big wolf’s glowing blue eyes seemed to say clearly:

“This one—will you take it?”