Author Archives: Thandar

Collaboration with Dahe

“Big Brother Yu, what do you have in mind?” Dahe asked.

Chang Le also looked curiously at Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze glanced at the two of them and smiled, “Of course, I want to buy things that we don’t have here, mainly food items like vegetables, melons, and fruits. Anything that we don’t have but can be eaten will do.”

Dahe pondered for a moment and asked, “Big Brother Yu, do you want to buy them for planting or for consumption?”

Yu Qingze replied, “Both are fine. It usually takes you a long time to come back, and many things cannot be stored for that long, especially perishable food items. I reckon many things won’t last more than a month. For those that spoil easily, Dahe, when you buy them, ask if they have any seeds for sale. If they do, buy some. And if not, if any of the spoiled items have seeds inside, make sure to save the seeds. We can try planting them when we come back and see if they can grow. If there are no seeds, then there’s nothing we can do.”

Upon hearing this, Dahe nodded and agreed, “Alright, I’ll remember.”

“For things you find delicious, buy more, and for those that aren’t, buy a smaller quantity. As for other items,” Yu Qingze pondered for a moment. There were many things that Dahe might not be able to determine their usefulness, so he continued, “If you think they might be useful, you can buy them too. When I see them, I’ll figure out if they’re useful or not.”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Okay, I got it,” said Dahe.

Yu Qingze looked at the bag of sprouting potatoes and asked Dahe, “Dahe, how much did this bag of potatoes cost? I’ll buy it from you.”

Dahe immediately waved his hand and said, “Brother Yu, there’s no need. I brought it back for you to eat, no need to pay me. Besides, you haven’t eaten any yet…”

Yu Qingze glanced at him and smiled, “Alright. But I still want to give you money, wait here.”

“Eh, Brother Yu!” Dahe didn’t understand why Yu Qingze wanted to give him money again and became a bit anxious. However, Yu Qingze had already gone into the room, so Dahe could only look at Chang Le and said, “Brother Le, what do you think about this…”

Chang Le smiled and waved his hand, indicating that he didn’t know either.

Yu Qingze came out of the room with a bag of small silver coins and handed it to Dahe, who looked at him in confusion.

“What did you think I was going to give you money for? The potatoes?” Yu Qingze smiled and said, “Didn’t I just say that I wanted you to help me buy some things? How can you buy them without money? I can’t let you pay for me, right?”

Although he didn’t know how much Dahe earned in a month working on the boat, he felt it was only right to give him money when asking him to bring things. It was necessary not to make him pay upfront.

Dahe, upon hearing this, visibly felt relieved. He took a look at the bag of money and saw that there were about ten or so taels of small silver coins inside. He exclaimed in surprise, “So much? I didn’t know if I could even bring what you mentioned back. Aren’t you afraid I might run off with the money?”

“If you can say that, then I don’t need to worry,” Yu Qingze laughed heartily and continued, “We’ll settle any excess or shortfall later. I don’t know if it’s enough, mainly because I don’t know how many fresh things there are where you’re going.”

Dahe rubbed the back of his head and said, “Based on the places I’ve been, there are clearly more things in the south than in the north. During the last trip before the New Year, I brought back a type of edible vegetable from the south, but it spoiled halfway.”

Yu Qingze’s curiosity was piqued upon hearing this, and he asked, “Oh? What kind of vegetable was it?”

Dahe replied, “They were as big as plates or as small as bowls, yellow and white in color, and formed into a bunch. The locals call it cauliflower.”

It’s cauliflower!

Yu Qingze said, “Next time if you come across such vegetables, just buy the seeds and bring them back. The climate in the south is good, and there are many things that we don’t have here. When you see them, buy them all.”

Dahe nodded and said, “There are indeed many things we don’t have there. In the two cities I visited, I saw three or four different kinds, but unfortunately, they couldn’t be preserved for long, so I couldn’t bring them back.”

The two of them continued chatting for a while.

Yu Qingze looked at Dahe, this simple and honest young man whom he genuinely liked, and it wasn’t his fault that he liked Chang Le. If anything, it was probably his own fault for interrupting their relationship, even though Chang Le never had feelings for him.

He thought for a moment and asked Dahe, “Dahe, when is your next trip on the boat?”

Dahe replied, “We don’t know yet. We’ll find out tomorrow when the boss tells us.”

Yu Qingze said, “When you bring heavy items onto the boat, will the boss complain or charge you?”

“Usually not, and we don’t have many heavy items anyway,” Dahe shook his head, thought for a moment, and added, “Are you worried that the boss will charge us more?”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “If he wants to charge, then you should pay him. Also, if you have extra money, you can try bringing back fruits or vegetables from other places that can be preserved for a long time and sell them. They should sell well, and you can earn some extra money.”

Dahe shook his head and said, “Usually, after reaching the destination, we only stay ashore for about four or five days before setting sail again. When we stop along the way, it’s mostly for loading and unloading cargo, and at most, we spend one night ashore. There’s no time to sell.”

Yu Qingze thought for a moment and said, “In that case, next time you bring them back, I’ll let you know if there’s anything that sells well. You can directly buy them for me to sell. But this means that some things may only be sold next year, as vegetables and fruits are not easy to preserve. Of course, if you’re bold enough, you can directly buy what you think is good.”

Dahe’s eyes lit up and he said, “Can I do that? Wouldn’t that be too much trouble for you? After all, those things might not be fresh anymore by the time I bring them back.”

“For fruits and such, when you buy them, get them slightly unripe, not fully ripe. That way, they can last longer,” Yu Qingze explained. In his past life, bananas, for example, were picked when they were still unripe and would ripen just in time to be sold when they reached different destinations. However, back then, transportation usually took no more than seven days, much faster than the shipping in this world.

“That’s a good method. I’ll pay attention next time I go and see if there’s anything suitable for long-term preservation,” Dahe said happily.

Yu Qingze nodded in agreement.

When the employees from the village finished their work and held a meeting, they all came to the backyard to chat with Dahe.

Chang Le got up and went to the kitchen to cook, leaving Yu Qingze to ask Dahe to stay for dinner later, which Dahe agreed to.

The employees didn’t chat for long as they needed to go home, so they bid farewell and left.

In the evening, Dahe had dinner with Yu Qingze and Chang Le, and they chatted for a long time.

After dinner, Yu Qingze asked, “Do you have a place to stay tonight?”

Dahe nodded and said, “Yes, there’s a big brother on the boat who takes good care of me. His house is conveniently located in the west of the city, and he happens to have an empty room. I’ve been staying at his place when I come back.”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “That’s good then. I won’t keep you here.” If he insisted on Dahe staying, both of them would feel uncomfortable.

They agreed to have Dahe come over again when they knew the next departure date, and Dahe left.

The next day, Dahe came specially to deliver a wedding gift to Yu Qingze and Chang Le.

In the afternoon, after preparing the dim sum, Yu Qingze asked Brother Chang and Brother Chang’s mother to stay and take care of the shop for the night. Then he took Chang Le and Jiabao and went back home. It was Chang Hao’s birthday today, and they wanted to return early to celebrate with their younger brother.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Poor Dahe. That’s what happens when you slow in love. Better luck next time, bro.

Dahe Returns

In the late afternoon, when the busiest time in the shop had passed, everyone could finally catch their breath.

At this moment, a dark-skinned man entered the snack shop, carrying a large hemp sack. The sack was almost half-filled, and no one knew what was inside, but it looked heavy.

The man placed the large sack on the ground after entering the shop and smiled when he saw Brother Chang. He called out, “Brother Chang.”

Curious, Brother Chang turned his head. No customer had ever entered and directly called him by his name. As he looked, his eyes widened in astonishment, and he exclaimed, “Dahe?!”

“Yeah,” Dahe nodded and smiled, asking, “Big Brother Yu and Brother Le here?”

“They are, they are. Let me take you to them,” Brother Chang nodded with a smile, walking and saying, “I heard from Brother Le that you went to work on a boat. How have you been during these past six months? Did you get to visit many places on the boat?”

Since last year, Dahe left home and nobody has seen him since. At this moment, upon hearing the voice of Brother Chang, the other comrades also looked over curiously, and sure enough, it was Dahe. Everyone greeted him one after another.

“Dahe! Long time no see!”

“Dahe, hey, why did you get even darker?”

“Dahe!”

“…”

Dahe picked up a sack and waved to the villagers busy over there, replying to their greetings. Then he turned to Brother Chang and said, “Not bad, I’ve been to both the north and the south, and every place is different. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge.”

Saying that, the two of them arrived at the kitchen door. Brother Le, who heard the voices outside, had already walked to the door and joyfully greeted Dahe with his flour-covered hand.

Upon seeing Brother Le, Dahe’s eyes softened, and he smiled warmly, calling out, “Brother Le, long time no see.”

Brother Le nodded with a smile.

Behind them, Brother Chang’s mother also came to the door and greeted Dahe with a smile, “Dahe, welcome back!”

Dahe nodded and called out, “Uncle Mo.”

Brother Chang’s mother responded with a nod and said, “It’s good to have you back.”

Brother Le pointed to the backyard and gestured to Brother Chang, indicating him to take Dahe to sit in the courtyard.

Brother Chang nodded and said to Dahe, “Let’s go to the backyard, there are tables and chairs there, and it’s cool.”

Dahe followed Brother Chang to the backyard.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

In the backyard, Yu Qingze was settling the accounts with somone who had come to deliver coal balls. When he saw Dahe and Brother Chang entering the backyard, he exclaimed in surprise, “Dahe? You’re back?”

Dahe walked to the osmanthus tree, set down the sack, and called out, “Brother Yu.”

Yu Qingze bid farewell to the delivery person and quickly walked over, pointing to a stone stool, saying, “Have a seat and let’s talk. When did you come back?”

“Just got off the ship. I came to see you all.” Dahe sat down and replied.

“Just got off the ship? Have you had lunch?” Upon hearing that he had just arrived, Yu Qingze turned to Brother Chang and said, “Brother Chang, please bring some dim sum and tea.”

“Sure.” Brother Chang readily agreed and then said to Dahe, “You sit here, I’ll bring some snacks for you to try.”

Dahe smiled warmly and said, “Brother Yu, Brother Chang, there’s no need to go through so much trouble.”

“It’s okay, just have some. You’ve been running around on the ship, working hard.” Yu Qingze said.

As Brother Chang turned around, Brother Le had already washed his hands and brought a tray of dim sum and tea.

“Brother Le is here. Dahe, I have to go back to work now. There are still customers ahead. I’ll talk to you later after I’m done.” Seeing that Brother Le had brought the dim sum and tea, Brother Chang greeted Dahe and went back to work. It’s still during working hours, so it’s not good to be away for too long.

“Alright. Go ahead with your work.” Dahe replied.

Brother Chang went back to the main hall to continue his tasks.

Brother Le placed the tray down and poured a cup of water for Dahe from the teapot, handing it to him.

“Thank you, Brother Le, I can handle it myself.” Dahe quickly reached out to take the teacup, accidentally brushing his fingers against Brother Le’s. He hurriedly placed the teacup on the table, lowered his head, and placed his hands under the stone table, rubbing them gently.

Yu Qingze noticed the situation and took three plates of snacks from the tray, placing them on the table. He said, “Dahe, have a taste. You probably couldn’t enjoy these on the ship.”

After finishing the snacks, Yu Qingze placed an empty bowl and a pair of chopsticks in front of Dahe. He turned to Brother Le and said, “Wife, go and bring a few plates of spare ribs and chicken feet, also bring a bottle of osmanthus wine. Get a set of bowls and chopsticks for me as well. Dahe and I will have a couple of drinks and have a good chat.”

Brother Le nodded and got up to leave.

Wife? Upon hearing Yu Qingze calling Brother Le “wife,” Dahe clenched his fist and looked up, asking, “…Brother Yu, Brother Le, are you two married?”

Brother Le nodded with a smile and then turned to the kitchen.

Seeing Dahe’s desolate expression as he watched Brother Le’s back, Yu Qingze sighed softly in his heart. He then pretended to be oblivious, smiling as he replied, “We got married exactly a month ago. If you had returned one month earlier, you could have had a celebratory drink with us.”

Upon hearing this, Dahe snapped back to reality, his eyes flickering. He forcefully pinched his thigh.

The pain in his leg brought Dahe back to his senses. He kept reminding himself that Brother Le was already married, and he had already decided to bless him and Yu Qingze, hadn’t he? He had already decided to let go, hadn’t he? Don’t stare at him, don’t show any abnormality. He mustn’t let Yu Qingze notice his feelings for Brother Le…

He forced a smile, pulling up the corners of his mouth, and said, “Congratulations to you both! Look at me, I didn’t prepare any gifts. I’ll make it up by getting something for you tomorrow.”

“No need to be so polite. Come, have a taste first,” Yu Qingze smiled and said, then changed the subject, asking, “During these past few months, which places did you visit with the ship? Did you go directly to the sea for shipping, or did you take the Grand Canal route?”

Dahe took a sip of tea, ate a meatball, and then replied, “Both. I’ve made three trips in total. Usually, it takes about two months for a round trip, and three months for longer journeys. I’ve been to both the north and the south, and I’ve gained a lot of experience. I even went back to the village during the Chinese New Year to take a quick look.”

“You’re back. Why didn’t you come find us?” Yu Qingze asked.

Dahe scratched his head and answered, “I was afraid of being seen by my father and the others, so I didn’t show up. But seeing everyone now, I feel relieved.”

“I see,” Yu Qingze understood and continued asking, “What kind of cargo do you mainly transport on the ship?”

“We transport various types of cargo, depending on the orders received from the boss. Sometimes it’s transporting silk and fabrics from the south to the north, and other times it’s transporting furs and other goods from the north to the south…” As he spoke, Dahe began to tell Yu Qingze about his experiences while working on the ship.

After spending several months running the ship, Dahe had gotten even darker in complexion, but along with the deepening of his skin tone, his knowledge and experiences had also increased. With this newfound knowledge, his personality had undergone noticeable changes, becoming more cheerful and talkative.

After bringing the snacks over, Brother Le also sat beside the stone table and listened to him. Yu Qingze’s understanding of foreign countries was limited, so he listened attentively and occasionally asked questions.

The three of them ate and chatted, continuing their conversation until closing time.

“I even saw foreigners!” Dahe exclaimed excitedly.

Brother Le widened his eyes and gestured, “What kind of foreigners?”

Yu Qingze, of course, knew about foreigners and helped Brother Le ask, “What kind of foreigners?” Are they similar to the foreigners in his previous life?

Dahe replied, “They had golden and brown hair, blue eyes, high noses, very fair skin, and tall stature. They also spoke differently from us. And there was his servant, who had large eyes, very dark skin, even darker than mine, and curly hair. He had a lot of facial hair, covering his entire chin!”

Brother Le’s mouth dropped open upon hearing this, and Yu Qingze also showed surprise, asking, “There are people like that too?”

“Yes, it was the first time I saw such people. They said they all came from across the ocean, so they are called foreigners. I heard that there are even more than just those with golden hair and dark skin. In distant places, after crossing the sea, there are many people from other countries who look different from us,” Dahe nodded, expressing his amazement.

“I see!” Yu Qingze exclaimed. Based on the description, he couldn’t tell if they were “Americans” or “Europeans” in this world.

“By the way, Big Brother Yu, Brother Le, I brought something for you,” Dahe said.

Dahe put down his chopsticks and brought over a large hemp bag that was placed by the tree. He untied the grass rope on the bag while saying, “This time I went to the northern region, and I saw a new thing among the people there that we don’t have here. They call it ‘ground eggs.’ They say it was brought by the foreigners. In the state near the capital, they have been growing it for a year, and it’s just harvested. It’s said to have a high yield, allowing many families who couldn’t eat enough during winter to have enough food for the season. I tried it, and it tasted pretty good, so I brought back a bag.”

“Oh? Ground eggs? What are they?” Yu Qingze’s interest was piqued. It sounded somewhat familiar.

“They are about the size of a child’s fist, long like sweet potatoes, with yellow skin. You’ll see them soon,” Dahe said, struggling with the tight grass rope. Unable to loosen it with his fingers, he resorted to biting it with his teeth.

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze felt that it sounded somewhat similar to potatoes.

“I’ll go get scissors,” Yu Qingze said. Seeing that Dahe couldn’t untie the grass rope, he went to the room and fetched a pair of scissors. With a snip-snapping sound, he cut the rope.

With the rope undone, Dahe opened the mouth of the hemp bag, and Yu Qingze and Brother Le looked on curiously.

Yu Qingze: …It really is potatoes!

His eyes gleamed with excitement. This was a great find! If successful in cultivation, it could solve the problem of many impoverished families not having enough to eat.

Brother Le picked up one of the potatoes and looked at it curiously.

“Hmm, why is it sprouting?” Dahe scratched his head, looking at the potatoes in the bag that had already sprouted. He took out some more and checked their bottoms, which were also sprouting. He worriedly said, “They were fine when I bought them. I didn’t expect them to sprout within just a month. I wonder if they are still edible.”

“They’re not edible!” Yu Qingze immediately said. Sprouted potatoes are poisonous and should not be eaten.

Dahe looked puzzled. “They’re not edible? That’s a pity. I wanted to bring them back for you to try.”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “No problem, I’ve seen these things before. We can just plant them in the ground. Did you ask the person you bought them from how to plant them?”

Yu Qingze could easily come up with a dozen or twenty ways to cook potatoes, but when it came to planting them, he was stumped.

“Just bury them in the soil, fertilize them with manure, and see if they grow naturally?” he wondered.

Dahe scratched his head and said, “I didn’t ask in detail. They just casually mentioned that you can bury these potatoes in the soil, and that’s it. No need to cut vines and replant like sweet potatoes.”

“Then let’s give it a try. Since they’ve already sprouted, it would be a waste not to plant them,” Yu Qingze suggested. However, he was unsure if they could grow in the summer, as he knew that potatoes were usually harvested in winter. He felt a bit concerned.

“Alright, let’s give it a try. If it doesn’t work out, it’s fine. I can bring some more next time,” Dahe said as he packed the potatoes back into the bag.

“Speaking of which, Dahe, you’ve seen a lot of things while traveling on the ship. I’d like to ask for your help in purchasing some items for me.”

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: I thought they already had potatoes since they already had sweet potatoes. Lol I’m a dummy when it comes to farming and stuff like that.

Recruiting Apprentices

Lord Cai was busy with government affairs and stayed in Tongshan City for a few days. Taking the opportunity, he inspected the local administration before returning to Yunzhou.

Jiabao’s name on his household registration was restored to his original name. However, everyone still preferred to call him Jiabao as it sounded more affectionate. He had grown accustomed to this name, so everyone took it as his nickname.

By acknowledging Lord Cai as his adoptive father, Jiabao gained an additional family. He now had a grandfather, Lao Mo, Yifu (adoptive father), an older brother, and a younger brother. Cai Yunwei, his younger brother, was one month younger than him.

After a period of adjustment and with the care and companionship of everyone, Jiabao’s smile gradually returned to his face. He wasn’t alone anymore; he had many people who cared for him and cherished him. He felt their support and had no reason not to regain his spirits.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The days are not much different from before, except that Lord Cai and his wife, as well as Cai Yunwei, come to the snack shop more frequently.

“Brother, let me handle the payment for you!” Cai Yunwei just finished breakfast and bounced to the counter, enthusiastically offering to help his elder brother. “I can do math too.”

Seeing Cai Yunwei about to get an abacus, Jiabao quickly said, “Yunwei, you talk to Grandpa and Lao mo. I can handle things here.”

“No problem, they’ll take a while to finish eating. You calculate one, I’ll calculate one, and we’ll be done quickly, right?” Cai Yunwei said cheerfully, then turned to another customer behind him and said, “Sir, can I handle your payment?”

That customer was a regular and often saw Cai Yunwei at the snack shop. He smiled and said, “How can I dare to trouble Young Master Cai? I can wait for a while.”

Cai Yunwei’s health improved, and he was no longer sickly and sluggish. He had become more lively in personality. He smiled and said, “There’s no need to hesitate. By helping my elder brother, I can make sure you have your breakfast earlier. Isn’t that great?”

After considering for a moment and seeing that Cai Yunwei had no intention of causing offense, the customer replied, “Alright, then I’ll trouble Young Master Cai.”

Cai Yunwei took the bamboo token from the tray and said to the person, “Sir, you got it wrong. I’m currently the third in my family. This is my elder brother.” As he said that, he casually put his arm on Jiabao’s shoulder, showing their close relationship.

The customer was surprised and asked, “Is that so? What’s going on with you guys?” He was still trying to wrap his head around the situation.

Cai Yunwei happily replied, “My father recognized him as his adoptive son, so he’s my elder brother now.”

“Oh… I see! I underestimated it.” The customer looked at Jiabao, unable to fathom why Lord Cai would recognize this young man as his adoptive son. Wasn’t he just a little helper at the snack shop?

“Here you go, sir, a total of twenty-eight wen.” Cai Yunwei was skilled with the abacus and quickly calculated the bill while speaking.

Jiabao had been watching him calculate the whole time and felt relieved when he saw that he hadn’t made any mistakes.

“Do you think we’re getting faster like this?” Cai Yunwei smiled and asked Jiabao.

Jiabao nodded, and the two young men proceeded to settle the bill together.

Old Madam Cai looked at his increasingly lively grandson and said to Old Master Cai, “Look, even Wei’er can help people now.”

Old Master Cai nodded and said, “I agree. We can hire a tutor for him.”

Old Madam Cai gave his spouse a sideways glance and said, “He has just recovered his health, and he’s finally in good spirits. Now you’re already thinking about causing trouble!”

Old Master Cai became dissatisfied and said, “What do you mean by causing trouble? I’m thinking for Wei’er’s sake. Previously, due to his poor health, we could only hire one tutor to teach him the basics. He’s already several years behind other children from prominent families. Don’t forget, when Xi’er was his age, he was already a scholar.”

Old Madam Cai paused for a moment, feeling somewhat helpless, and said, “I don’t care. At least until Wei’er fully recovers, we can’t push him too hard. And he has to agree to it himself!”

Old Master Cai glared and said, “Aren’t you afraid that if Wei’er doesn’t achieve anything in the future, Wenyi will blame you? You weren’t so lenient with Wenyi before.”

Old Madam Cai shrugged and said, “I think it’s fine not to hold an official position. Just look at Fu Lei. If he hadn’t pursued an official career, their family would still be doing well now.”

“…,” Old Master Cai couldn’t argue with his wife anymore and sighed, “Ah, forget it, I’ll ask Wei’er about it later.”

Two days later, when Old Madam Cai and the others came over in the morning, they didn’t see Cai Yunwei. Jiabao curiously asked about it. Old Madam Cai didn’t answer, but Old Master Cai smiled and said that they had found a tutor for Cai Yunwei, so he was busy and couldn’t come.

Jiabao nodded, murmured an acknowledgment, smiled, and didn’t ask further.

Meanwhile, Yu Qingze, Chang Le, and Grandpa Chang discussed for two days and decided to select two apprentices from the helpers to learn making dim sum. They didn’t have the resources to train apprentices in cooking at the moment, so they had to postpone it.

After observing them for several months, the selected helpers had good character and were hardworking, deserving of proper training.

That day, after closing the shop, Yu Qingze discussed the matter with everyone during the meeting.

“Everyone, you’ve all worked hard in the past six months! Thanks to everyone’s joint efforts, our snack shop has been getting better and better. Now, with the increasing number of customers, I have more and more things to handle. So, in the kitchen, I plan to find two apprentices to teach them how to make pastries. In the future, Brother Chang and his mother will be in charge of the kitchen together.”

Upon hearing this, the staff became excited. It was a great opportunity! Now, the whole Tongshan City knows that Yu’s food is delicious. If they could learn the craft, they would master a valuable skill.

“Boss Yu, what kind of apprentices are you looking for? Any specific requirements?” asked Brother Qing.

“Yeah, we’re all willing to learn. But if it’s only two people, tell us what kind of requirements you have,” they said.

Yu Qingze replied, “Let me make it clear first. The work in the kitchen is extremely demanding. You have to wake up twice in the middle of the night when the rooster crows, and there are various tasks to handle. Currently, we have over thirty different types of items on our menu, including ones we have previously introduced but are not currently selling. Each one has a different recipe, and the apprentices need to learn them all. Once they have mastered everything and meet my requirements, I will promote them to the position of dim sum chef, and their wages will also increase.”

As they listened, everyone started to calculate in their minds, considering whether they could endure this hardship, especially having to wake up in the middle of the night.

Yu Qingze continued, “There are three main requirements. First, you need to have good physical stamina and strength. Many of the recipes require kneading dough. Currently, most of the dough kneading tasks are done by Brother Le because he has the strength for it. But for us, it’s important. Brother Le won’t be helping in the kitchen indefinitely, so before you sign up, you need to think carefully about whether you have the physical stamina and strength for kneading dough.”

Upon hearing this, the expressions on everyone’s faces became serious. Several individuals felt disappointed, as these conditions clearly favored men.

After observing their expressions, Yu Qingze continued, “Second, you need to be able to endure hardship and be diligent. I don’t need to explain this; I believe you all understand. Third, you need to be able to live in the shop. This can be considered a benefit because traveling back and forth is very tiring. We have two small rooms in the shop, which can accommodate four people. Both dim sum chefs will be living in the shop. That’s about it. You can think about it today, and if you’re interested, come and register with me tomorrow. The registration deadline is three days from now, and I will select two individuals to start training. Do any of you have any questions or anything you don’t understand?”

Everyone looked at each other, and after a while, Tie Zhu asked, “Boss Yu, I have the strength and the willingness to learn, and I can endure hardship. However, I have never made dim sum before, and I’m afraid I might be too clumsy and my hands might not be nimble enough to create such beautiful decorations. Can I still do it?”

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter. It was true that these dim sum had an attractive appearance, and the intricate decorations were pleasing to the eye. Skill in handiwork was indeed important.

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “Learning a few things won’t be a problem. When I first started learning to make dim sum, my dumplings didn’t look good either. But after learning some techniques and practicing more, it improved. So, don’t worry about it.”

Tie Zhu scratched the back of his head and said, “In that case, I’m fine. I want to sign up.”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Good, I got it. Does anyone else have any questions?”

“Alright, if there are no further questions, we’ll end here for today. Everyone, tidy up and go back.”

In the evening, after Yu Qingze and Chang Le lovingly spent some time together, they lay on the bed and chatted. Sometimes they discussed their feelings about the “Harmonious Activities” and tried to improve each other, while other times they talked about various matters, both related to the shop and their home.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

While massaging his wife, Yu Qingze asked, “Darling, were you satisfied just now? How did that position feel?”

Brother Le nodded and gestured, indicating that he was satisfied but a little tired.

Yu Qingze kissed the ear beside his mouth and said, “Then we’ll try a new one tomorrow. You can pick one from the small album we brought here on our wedding night.” Yu Qingze had brought the booklet of various positions to the shop and was enthusiastic about exploring new poses.

Brother Le found it enjoyable and had become more daring, cooperating willingly. He nodded and gestured, indicating that they should return home in a few days.

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?” Yu Qingze asked.

Brother Le nodded and gestured, saying that Xiao Hao’s birthday was on April 29th.

Yu Qingze looked up and asked, “Xiao Hao’s birthday? That’s in just five days. We should think about what gift to give him. How have you celebrated in previous years? What kind of gifts did you give him?”

Brother Le gestured, explaining that they would usually buy some meat and have a meal together. In the past, their conditions were not good, so they couldn’t afford expensive gifts.

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze said, “Then let’s celebrate his birthday properly this year.”

The next morning, when they arrived at work, two other men in the shop, Xiaoshu and Er Niu, came to Yu Qingze to sign up.

After discussing with their families, they all felt that they shouldn’t miss this opportunity and decided to go for it.

Yu Qingze also preferred having more men on the team as the work was quite strenuous for Brother Le.

Since there were three candidates, Yu Qingze decided to conduct a simple interview, allowing each of them to introduce themselves and talk about their strengths and weaknesses.

After speaking with the three of them, Yu Qingze decided to hire Tie Zhu and Er Niu as apprentices since they had a more steady and reliable personality. Xiaoshu, who had a quick mind, would continue with his previous duties of taking orders. Yu Qingze planned to train him towards becoming a restaurant manager, as they planned to open a restaurant in the future.

With the apprenticeship settled, Yu Qingze immediately hired two more helpers and assigned them to Brother Le. Then he began teaching the apprentices how to make dim sum.

On the day before Xiao Hao’s birthday, someone unexpected returned.

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Thandar: Who is it? Who could it be?

After discussing the funeral arrangements with Lord Cai and making some arrangements with the steward, they agreed to meet in Niutou Village the next day. Jiabao and Yu Qingze then bid farewell and declined the invitation to have dinner with the Cai family.

After leaving the Cai residence, Yu Qingze took Jiabao to find someone to carve a new tombstone in a hurry. They requested it to be completed within two days. They also purchased a coffin and arranged for it to be delivered to Niutou Village the following day.

Afterward, they returned to the shop together.

By this time, it was already evening, and the snack shop had closed. Brother Chang and the other employees, concerned about Jiabao, hadn’t gone home and were waiting together in the shop.

Yu Qingze explained the situation to everyone, although not in great detail. He simply mentioned that Jiabao’s father used to be a minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who was falsely accused and imprisoned but was finally cleared of all charges, only to pass away tragically.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Upon hearing this, everyone comforted Jiabao and then they all went home together.

As they needed to organize the funeral, Yu Qingze decided to close the snack shop for a rest period of seven days.

After returning home, Jiabao held onto his father’s urn tightly. He barely touched his dinner and went straight to his room.

Seeing the concerned looks from Yu Qingze and the others, Jiabao reassured them, saying, “Big brother, I’ll be fine in a couple of days.”

“Remember to come find me if you need anything. Go on.” Yu Qingze sighed, patted his head, and let him go.

Once Jiabao had returned to his room, Yu Qingze explained the details of the situation to Grandpa Chang, Le, and Chang Hao, and asked Chang Hao to keep an eye on Jiabao during the evening and to inform them immediately if anything happened.

Chang Hao nodded, quickly finished his chores, and went back to his room to rest.

With the assistance of the Cai family, the funeral went much smoother.

Villagers came to offer their condolences upon learning that it was the funeral of Jiabao’s high-ranking father. Some dignitaries from the city also got wind of the news and sent representatives to pay their respects.

Five days later, Jiabao’s father’s ashes were buried together with his mother.

Yu Qingze and the Cai family worked together to renovate the cemetery, creating a small graveyard that deeply moved Jiabao.

After the funeral, Lord Cai, accompanied by Yu Qingze and Jiabao, returned to Niutou Village. Lord Cai looked at Jiabao and asked, “Yuer, now that your father has been proven innocent, you can go back to your original household registration. The current one can be discarded.”

These alternative household registrations were originally a temporary measure taken by Fu Lei to protect his family and were not in accordance with the law.

Jiabao nodded.

Lord Cai continued, “In the capital city, the house allocated to your family by the court was taken back, but your father still has a small private courtyard. It was initially registered as a public property, but I have already submitted a request to the court for its return to your family. I believe there will be news about it soon.”

Jiabao expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, sir.”

Lord Cai continued, “Your father was a good friend of mine for many years. I’m older than him by a few years, and now that he’s no longer with us, Yu’er, I would like to formally adopt you as my godson. Would you be willing to accept me as your godfather?”

Jiabao looked up in surprise. He hadn’t expected Lord Cai to propose such a thing. He turned to look at Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze was also taken aback, but he gently touched Jiabao’s head and said, “It’s up to you to decide based on what you feel in your heart.” Having one more person caring for Jiabao would be a good thing.

Jiabao thought for a moment and then said, “I… I’m willing.”

Lord Cai was pleased to hear this and said, “Very well, then tomorrow let’s have a ceremony at the Cai residence to formalize our relationship. Do you want a larger gathering with more people or a quieter and more intimate affair?”

Jiabao shook his head and said somewhat sheepishly, “There’s no need to go through the trouble of hosting a banquet just for me. It can be just us, the family.”

“Alright, that works. I’ll have the house staff prepare accordingly,” Lord Cai happily agreed.

Old Madam Cai and the others were also delighted and held Jiabao’s hand, suggesting, “Why don’t you stay at the mansion tonight? That way, you won’t have to travel again tomorrow.”

Jiabao shook his head and said, “Old Madam, tomorrow I’ll just go with Big Brother and the others.”

“Don’t call me Old Madam, call me Lao Mo,” Old Madam Cai said.

Jiabao paused for a moment and obediently called out, “Lao Mo.”

(T/N: The term “Lao” (老) means “old” or “elder” in Chinese, and “Mo” (么) is a diminutive suffix. So, “Lao Mo” can be understood as “little elder” in a friendly and endearing manner. It is often used within close relationships to show familiarity and affection.)

“Ah!” Old Madam Cai happily responded and casually took off the bracelet from his wrist and handed it to Jiabao, saying, “I don’t have anything valuable on me today, so take this for now. Tomorrow, I’ll prepare something better for you.”

Jiabao quickly refused, saying, “Lao Mo, this is too precious…”

“Just take it. If you don’t accept it, Lao Mo will get angry.”

“…” Jiabao had no choice but to accept it.

Old Master Cai didn’t want to be outdone and said, “And me, don’t forget about me.”

“…” Jiabao called out, “Grandfather.”

“Ah, good grandson!” Old Master Cai patted Jiabao’s head and also took off the jade pendant from his body and placed it into Jiabao’s hand.

“…”

Lord Cai laughed as he watched Jiabao, not saying anything, but his meaning was clear. Jiabao was already calling his parents Lao Mo and Grandfather, but they hadn’t called him Yifu (adoptive father) yet.

“…” Jiabao then said, “Yifu.”

“Ah.” Lord Cai happily responded, and then said, “I’ll give you another gift tomorrow.”

Yu Qingze and Brother Le watched, suppressing their laughter.

Lord Cai continued, “By the way, I heard from Xiao Yu that your mother has been teaching you how to read and recognize characters, and you’re smart. How about I send you to a private school? You can start learning now, and by the age of 20, you can take the imperial examination.”

Upon hearing this, Jiabao shook his head and said, “I don’t want to take the imperial examination, so I don’t need to go to school. Being able to read is enough. I want to learn business with Big Brother and make a living. My mother said she hopes I can have a peaceful life, and I feel the same way.”

Lord Cai furrowed his brow upon hearing this and asked, “You don’t want to take the imperial examination? You don’t want to attend school?”

Jiabao nodded and said, “I enjoy making dim sum and cooking with Big Brother and earning money. My mother wished for me to lead a simple life, and I share the same sentiment.”

Lord Cai fell into silence for a while, thinking about Fu Lei. He sighed and said, “Very well. Go and do what you enjoy.” After all, as long as he was in Yunzhou, he would protect him.

Jiabao nodded and said, “Thank you, Yifu.”

The next day, Yu Qingze brought the entire family to Cai’s residence.

Jiabao kowtowed to Lord Cai, served tea, and called him Yifu (adoptive father). Lord Cai accepted the tea of recognition and presented a gift to Jiabao. The ceremony of recognition was thus completed.

To celebrate this joyous occasion, Yu Qingze personally cooked a table full of delicious dishes, and both families happily enjoyed the recognition feast together.

The following day, Lord Cai personally accompanied Yu Qingze and Jiabao to the county government office to have Jiabao’s household registration transferred to Niutou Village, merging it with Yu Qingze’s household registration.

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Choice

This question is one that Jiabao is very curious about as well.

In the past, he only heard from his mother that his father was falsely accused by bad people and imprisoned, their house was ransacked, the household servants were dispersed, and he, his mother, and his younger brother were expelled from the capital, becoming homeless.

His younger brother’s health collapsed due to the overwhelming shock he experienced. However, they couldn’t dare to stay in the capital any longer, fearing that his father’s political enemies would come after them. So, they had no choice but to go to the residence his father had prepared for them. On the way, his younger brother couldn’t hold on and passed away.

Jiabao’s mother never mentioned why his father was imprisoned or who framed him. Perhaps he didn’t know either, or maybe he knew but chose not to tell him.

Jiabao held his father’s ashes in his hands, looking at Lord Cai, waiting for him to reveal the truth.

Lord Cai organized his thoughts and then said, “Fu Lei has always been upright and discontented with the corruption and tyranny of the previous dynasty. He never took the imperial examination. After the Great Rebellion, the talent pool was depleted. At that time, the current emperor ordered the imperial examination to be held to select talented individuals. It was then that Fu Lei participated in the imperial examination.”

“At that time, the war had just subsided, and the new dynasty had just been established. The common people were displaced, and production came to a halt. During the palace examination, he wrote about his ideas and strategies in response to the current situation. Fu Lei had long been concerned about the livelihood and production of the people. His ideas in this regard were very bold, and the feasibility of the measures he proposed was also very high. The current emperor was extremely impressed with his ideas and appointed him as the top scholar, specially assigning him to the Ministry of Household Affairs and instructing him to come up with even more effective plans and measures.”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Afterwards, the series of measures he proposed regarding the settlement of refugees, household registration, land issues, and so on, were all implemented. Many of our current household registration systems and land regulations were proposed by him back then. Two years later, due to his outstanding performance, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Household.”

Yu Qingze and Jiabao listened attentively. The young boy was amazed to learn how capable his father had been, and he instinctively held the urn containing his father’s ashes tightly in his arms.

However, Yu Qingze couldn’t help but furrow his brow. Fu Lei was obviously a talented person, and his abilities were beneficial to both the country and the people. But someone like him was also prone to attracting various forms of jealousy and resentment within the court.

“He received the emperor’s favor in his career. That year, his eldest son was also born, and it was the happiest time for him. He named the child Jiayu, which means a bright and promising future. He believed that our future life would be as splendid as his son’s name,” said Lord Cai, pausing for a moment, a hint of a smile on his face as if recalling those times.

Then, he restrained his smile and continued, “However, after he became the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Household, his power increased significantly. This hindered the path to wealth for some people, including the two currently imprisoned. Those people tried to win him over, but he firmly rejected them with righteous words. After that, he started receiving threatening messages for a period of time.”

“Most of those people were officials who had contributed to the Emperor’s ascension but were later corrupted by power and money. Later on, the Prime Minister received a secret order from the Emperor to eradicate the worms within the court and eliminate the root causes of decay. The Prime Minister contacted Fu Lei and asked him to secretly gather evidence against those people. Fu Lei willingly agreed.”

“After a year, during a disaster relief effort, Fu Lei was accidentally discovered collecting evidence by the opposing party. Those people then schemed to falsely accuse Fu Lei of embezzling the relief funds. They had planned it meticulously, and the Prime Minister couldn’t find enough evidence to prove his innocence. Fu Lei was thrown into the prison of the Ministry of Justice. The Prime Minister’s men couldn’t save him, so they found ways to spare his family from exile, but they were only expelled from the capital city.”

“After that, the opposing party became even more cautious. It took us until now to gather enough evidence to expose them all. Unfortunately, the prison was under their control, and our people couldn’t arrange to get in. Fu Lei spent too long in the dungeon, and his body was completely ruined by the opposing party. In the end, he couldn’t hold on. After proving his innocence in the court and being released from prison, he only had time to write a letter to you, telling me about your possible whereabouts, and then he… went away.”

At this point, Lord Cai, this resolute man, was already choked with tears, wiping his eyes.

Jiabao, who had learned the truth, burst into tears again.

Yu Qingze didn’t know how to console him, so he gently patted his back.

The entire room was immersed in this atmosphere of sadness.

After a while, Lord Cai regained his composure and asked Jiabao, “Jiabao, no, Yu’er, where is your mother buried?”

(T/N: In Chinese culture, adding “er” (儿) after someone’s name is a common practice in certain regions, particularly in northern China. It is a form of endearment or affectionate nickname. The “er” (儿) suffix does not change the meaning of the name itself but rather adds a sense of familiarity or closeness. It is often used to address or refer to someone in an informal and friendly manner.)

Jiabao wiped his tears and sobbed, “At Wudao Slope outside the city to the west.”

“How do you plan to arrange your father’s ashes?”

Jiabao touched the ebony box and lowered his gaze as he answered, “Mother really missed father. He wanted them to be buried together, so they can be reunited.”

Upon hearing these words, a wave of bitterness swept through the hearts of everyone present. Lord Cai had even wetted his handkerchief with tears.

Jiabao looked at his father’s urn and then raised his head to look at Yu Qingze. He asked, “Big brother, I want to set up a new tombstone for mother. Can I borrow some money from you?”

Yu Qingze touched his head and said, “I’m your big brother, don’t treat me as a stranger. We’ll go find someone later to carve a new one.”

During the Qingming Festival previously, Yu Qingze and Jiabao went to Wudao Slope to pay their respects at the gravesite. Yu Qingze noticed that there was only a wooden sign in front of his mother’s grave, with the words “The Grave of the Yan Family” roughly carved on it. It was obvious that Jiabao had found a piece of wood and carved it himself.

At that time, he asked Jiabao if he wanted to set up a new tombstone, but Jiabao said there was no need. Now, Yu Qingze understood. Jiabao’s mother, Yuan Xin, was not from the “Yan” family, so there was no need to erect a new tombstone.

Now that Jiabao’s father’s name has been cleared, and they no longer need to live in hiding, nor will anyone be able to threaten them anymore, it is only natural to set up a new tombstone for his parents. Not only that, but they should also hold a funeral and perform the necessary rituals.

Yu Qingze added, “We should also hold a funeral for your father and perform the rituals for your mother. We can do it together. I’ll take care of the arrangements.” When Jiabao’s mother passed away, they didn’t hold a funeral and he was buried directly. But now, they had the means to do it properly, and his father deserved the same.

Jiabao shook his head and said, “Big brother, it’s not necessary. I don’t think father and mother would mind.”

“Jiabao, this is for the peace and rest of your father and mother. Trust me, okay?” Yu Qingze insisted.

Lord Cai also chimed in, “Yes, this must be done. Jiabao, listen to your big brother.”

Jiabao looked at Yu Qingze with teary eyes for a while before finally nodding.

Lord Cai also nodded and said, “I’ll have the steward assist you, and the manpower in the mansion will be at your disposal. If you need anything, assign them tasks.”

Yu Qingze expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, sir. It couldn’t be better than this.”

Jiabao also expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, sir.”

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Grief

The group of men breathed a collective sigh of relief upon hearing their agreement.

“Let’s go then,” the leading man said, leading the way towards the door.

“Hold on,” Yu Qingze called out to the man in front and asked, “May I see your waist tokens?”

“Ah, just now it was chaotic for a moment, and I forgot the registration number. We are the guards of the Cai family in Yunzhou, mainly responsible for protecting Lord Cai and ensuring his safety. My surname is Gao, and my single name is Hu.” The man patted his head and took out his waist token from his pocket, showing it to Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze took it and glanced at it. The style indeed matched the waist tokens of Mi Ge’er and Uncle Fu. He nodded and returned it to the man named Gao Hu.

With their identities confirmed, the group of people prepared to leave.

Brother Le worriedly held onto Yu Qingze’s arm, glanced at the men, and gestured, asking if there would be any trouble.

Yu Qingze patted his back and said, “Don’t worry, wait for us at the inn.”

When those men just started fighting with them, their intention was to subdue, not to harm. Despite being hit numerous times by Brother Le and Tie Zhu, especially the man who was struck with a rolling pin by Brother Le, he probably had a swollen back, but they didn’t retaliate. They only tried to stop the fight. This indicates that they shouldn’t be bad people and they were not lying. If they were imposters, they would have immediately drawn their weapons without hesitation.

The group of people walked out of the North Street and encountered two other men in black coming from the South Street at the intersection.

“Gao Hu, did you find them?” one of the guards, who appeared to have a higher position, asked.

“Big brother, we found them. This is Young Master Fu, and this is Boss Yu,” Gao Hu explained to the man, then turned to introduce Jiabao and Yu Qingze, “Young Master Fu, Boss Yu, this is Captain Jin Lin of the guard team.”

They nodded in acknowledgement.

Gao Hu then asked Jin Lin, “Big brother, has the master arrived?”

“Just arrived a while ago,” Jin Lin glanced at Yu Qingze and Jiabao, who were following behind them, then asked, “Where is Mr. Fu’s son?”

Gao Hu replied, “According to the investigation, he passed away in August last year.”

Jin Lin remained silent for a moment, glanced at Jiabao, and said, “Let’s go back then. The master is anxious to meet someone.”

The group of people walked along the South Street towards the Cai residence.

Yu Qingze felt relieved seeing that they were on the right path.

As they entered the Cai residence, from a distance, Yu Qingze and the others saw a slender middle-aged man pacing at the entrance of the main hall. When the middle-aged man noticed their arrival, he immediately stopped and looked at them as they approached.

That must be Cai Wendong, the renowned Lord Cai, the governor. Yu Qingze thought to himself.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Sir, we have found them,” Jin Lin reported to Lord Cai with his subordinates, and then whispered something in his ear.

“I see. Alright, I understand. You’ve all worked hard. Go rest for now,” Lord Cai’s attention had already been focused on Jiabao. Upon hearing the report from his subordinates, he furrowed his brow and waved his hand, signaling the guards to leave.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“I pay my respects to Lord Cai,” Yu Qingze bowed with Jiabao.

“No need for excessive formalities,” Lord Cai raised his hand to help them up, then looked at Jiabao and asked, “Are you Fu Jiayu?”

“Yes,” Jiabao nodded, gripping the hem of his clothes, feeling a bit nervous.

Lord Cai looked at Jiabao and continued, “Do you have a red birthmark on the inside of your left arm?”

Jiabao understood that he was confirming his identity, so he pulled up the sleeve of his left arm to show him the birthmark.

After seeing it, Lord Cai confirmed his identity and nodded while scrutinizing him. He then pulled Jiabao closer and said, “Good child, come inside and have a seat.”

At this moment, Lord Cai’s elderly parents entered the main hall as well. Upon seeing their son, Lord Cai’s father couldn’t help but grumble, “You really, why didn’t you let us know when you came back?”

Lord Cai replied, “Father, Mother, I just arrived a little while ago. I saw you both were napping, so I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“What’s the harm in skipping one nap? It’s rare for you to come back… Oh, Xiao Yu, Jiabao, you’re here?” Lord Cai’s father, Old Master Cai, only noticed Yu Qingze and Jiabao standing behind when they walked in, and he exclaimed with delight.

“Old Master Cai and Old Madam Cai,” the two of them greeted the elderly couple.

Lord Cai looked at their familiar interactions and asked in surprise, “Father, Mother, you know them?”

Old Master Cai nodded and replied, “This is Yu Qingze, the same person we told you about. Jiabao is his younger brother.”

Lord Cai nodded and looked at Yu Qingze, clasping his fists in respect. “So you are Boss Yu. I apologize for the impoliteness. Thanks to Boss Yu’s marvelous skills, our family has received a lot of care and assistance. Thank you very much.”

He was already familiar with this name. Not only did Yu Qingze cure his younger son’s eating disorder, but he also taught their chef many delicious recipes, which greatly improved the taste of their meals. Moreover, the snacks and cured meats made by Yu Qingze were delicious, and the feedback from those who received them was excellent. Many people came to inquire about them.

Yu Qingze also politely replied, “Lord Cai, you’re too kind.”

After exchanging greetings, Lord Cai remembered what his mother had said earlier and asked in confusion, “Hey, earlier you said Jiabao is your younger brother, but just now…” Fu Lei only has one son, and he doesn’t have a son as old as Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze replied, “We are not blood-related; we have become sworn brothers.”

“Oh, I see. That’s good, very good,” Lord Cai suddenly understood and said. He then looked at Jiabao without saying anything for a while.

Old Master Cai asked, “Wendong, what’s going on?”

Lord Cai answered, “Father, Mother, Jiabao is Fu Lei’s child.”

“What? Jiabao is Fu Lei’s child?” Old Master Cai was very surprised and said, “We have known Jiabao for quite some time, and we never noticed this, really…”

Old Madam Cai patted his husband’s hand to console him and said, “Jiabao doesn’t look much like Fu Lei. Don’t blame yourself. Jiabao, do you resemble your mother more?”

Jiabao nodded, facing the familiar faces of the old Cai couple, he felt more at ease and answered, “Yes, I resemble my mother more.”

Lord Cai asked, “Why didn’t you and your mother use the household registration under Li Ping’s name?”

Initially, when Fu Lei realized that he might run into trouble, he obtained multiple sets of household registrations for his family. Lord Cai was aware of the one registered under the name Li Ping, so for all these years, they had been searching for them based on that registered name, but couldn’t find them.

Jiabao replied, “Father prepared three sets of household registrations for us, including the one under the name Li Ping. However, when we came to Tongshan City, we switched to the current one.”

“I see.”

“No wonder Wendong had been searching for you for several years without success. It turns out you were here in Tongshan City. If we had found you earlier, you wouldn’t have suffered so much.” Old Master Cai sighed and added, “When your father was young and unmarried, he even stayed at our house for a month.”

Jiabao glanced at Lord Cai upon hearing this. Did his father have a good relationship with Lord Cai?

Jiabao looked at Yu Qingze, who nodded at him. Gathering his courage, Jiabao asked, “…Sir, is it true what Guard Gao said, that you have information about my father?”

Upon hearing this, Lord Cai and Old Master Cai had a heavy expression on their faces. They had long known about Fu Lei’s situation from Lord Cai’s letters.

After a moment, Old Master Cai walked over and placed his hand on Jiabao’s shoulder. He spoke with great solemnity, “Jiabao, my good child, no matter what you hear later, don’t be too saddened, okay?”

Jiabao was stunned upon hearing this.

Yu Qingze’s heart sank; it seemed like it wasn’t good news.

Lord Cai sighed and took out a letter from his pocket. He walked over to Jiabao and handed it to him, saying, “Your father passed away half a month ago. This is the letter he wrote to you and your mother before his final moments.”

Jiabao received the letter in a daze. Seeing the familiar handwriting on the envelope, he couldn’t help but tear up.

That handwriting was the same as the one he had seen in the letters that his mother used to teach him to read. It was the handwriting his father had used in the letters he wrote to his mother. He had read it countless times and was familiar with it beyond measure.

Trembling, Jiabao opened the letter and saw the opening words “My dear son and beloved wife.” Tears started to flow down his cheeks.

Yu Qingze sighed and tenderly held the trembling shoulders of the young boy, silently comforting him.

Jiabao had already cried until he was unrecognizable as he finished reading the letter.

Yu Qingze embraced him, pressing his head against his chest, allowing him to cry to his heart’s content.

The young boy clutched the letter with one hand and tightly grasped Yu Qingze’s clothes with the other. He cried so hard that he struggled to catch his breath, almost choking. Yu Qingze hurriedly patted his back to help him regain his breath.

He remembered when he and Brother Le, along with Chang Hao, unexpectedly encountered Jiabao’s mother’s funeral on West Street. It was raining lightly, but Jiabao didn’t cry or make a fuss. He silently followed behind the two men. At that time, Yu Qingze couldn’t help but wonder why this child didn’t cry at all.

Later, when he invited Jiabao to work as an assistant, aside from that day when Jiabao’s eyes were red from crying, he never saw Jiabao looking so heartbroken again.

When Jiabao’s mother passed away, the young boy endured it with strength. Perhaps he was thinking that his father was still in the distant world, or perhaps he realized that he would have to live on his own from then on, and crying wouldn’t change anything. In any case, he endured it.

However, reality is so cruel, and now his father has passed away. The last pillar of support, the belief and hope in Jiabao’s heart, crumbled along with it.

Yu Qingze let out a long sigh, his eyes turning red uncontrollably. He understood the feeling of losing the only family member.

He gently stroked Jiabao’s head, trying to convey through this gesture that he was not alone, that there were still people by his side, accompanying him. He still had Yu Qingze, Brother Le, Grandpa, and Xiao Hao. They were all his family.

The young boy’s crying was heart-wrenching, filled with sorrow as if he had lost the entire world.

Old Madam Cai looked on and listened, silently shedding tears, constantly wiping them away. Old Master Cai could only sigh and embrace his spouse’s shoulder for comfort.

Lord Cai lowered his head in silence, tightly gripping his hands, his nails digging into his palms, consumed by regret.

They had been too slow in the end, unable to let the father and son see each other one last time.

After a while, once Jiabao had cried his heart out, Lord Cai stood by the table and took out a mahogany urn from a large box, placing it on the table. He said, “Jiabao, come here and take a look. This box contains your father’s ashes.”

Yu Qingze led Jiabao over. The young boy’s eyes were swollen, barely able to open.

He approached the table and reached out to touch the black mahogany box. Tears, which had just stopped, threatened to fall again.

Yu Qingze gently touched his head, accompanying him in this moment.

Carefully opening the box, they revealed the grayish-white ashes filling most of it. Jiabao extended his hand to touch them but then withdrew it, afraid of accidentally disturbing or losing even a tiny bit of his father’s ashes.

After a while, Yu Qingze said, “Close it.”

Jiabao gently closed the box, fastening it securely, and held it tightly in his arms.

Seating Jiabao in a chair, Yu Qingze turned to Lord Cai and asked, “Sir, what exactly happened to Jiabao’s father?”

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The Origin of Jiabao

On the tenth day of early April, during the busy lunchtime rush at the snack shop, everyone was bustling around. The shop was already filled with customers.

“Customers, please line up here to pay.”

“Sir, the steamed phoenix claws with fermented bean sauce will take a little longer. We have spicy pickled phoenix claws available. Would you like to try those? They’re also delicious.”

“Excuse me, there’s a vacant seat over here. Please have a seat.”

“Thank you for coming. Have a great day.”

…

“Big brother, I’ve finished eating. Let me handle the checkout, and you can go have your meal.” Jiabao finished his lunch and walked up to Yu Qingze, taking over the task of handling the payments.

“Alright. I’ll finish up with this one.” Yu Qingze completed the transaction for the customer, collected the money, and then switched places with Jiabao, heading into the kitchen to have his lunch.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

After a while, four or five men dressed in black suits and armed with swords entered.

As soon as they entered, they looked around and finally focused their gaze on Chang Hao and Jiabao.

“Customers, would you like to dine? Our restaurant operates self-service. Please come over here to take your trays and get your food-,” Brother Chang greeted them.

Among the group, the leading man raised his hand to stop Brother Chang from continuing, saying, “We’re looking for someone.”

Brother Chang frowned and asked, “Looking for someone? Who are you looking for?”

The leading man looked at the two boys, who were of similar height, not sure which one they were looking for, and said, “We’re looking for Tian Jiabao. We heard he’s working here.”

Brother Chang heard that they were looking for Jiabao and subconsciously glanced in Jiabao’s direction. With their appearance, what could these people want with Jiabao? He furrowed his brow and asked, “What’s the matter? Why are you looking for Jiabao?”

The man noticed Brother Chang’s gaze and knew which one they were looking for, so he walked straight towards the counter.

“Hey, hey, hey! What’s the matter with you guys looking for Jiabao? You can’t just barge in like this. It’s disrupting our business,” Brother Chang called out, following behind.

There were three or four customers queuing up at the counter to pay. When they saw the men approaching, they instinctively stepped aside. By now, the other customers in the restaurant also looked over with curiosity.

Jiabao had been focused on doing calculations and hadn’t noticed what was happening at the entrance. It was only when the group of people reached the counter that he reached out to take the bamboo plaque from the tray and realized that the person in front of him didn’t have a tray.

Curiously, he looked up and saw several men in black clothing standing before him.

Brother Chang hurried over and said, “Jiabao, they say they’re looking for you.”

Before Jiabao could respond to Brother Chang, the leading man asked, “Are you Tian Jiabao?”

Jiabao nodded, looking at the group of people with confusion.

“Is your real name Fu Jiayu?” the man who had been looking down asked Jiabao.

Upon hearing that name, Jiabao first froze for a moment, then his face changed, and he quickly ran towards the backyard.

“Hey, don’t run!”

“Quick, catch him!”

“Hey, Jiabao! Boss Yu, something’s wrong!”

“Brother! Brother Yu! Someone is trying to catch Jiabao!”

“What’s going on?!” Yu Qingze was having a meal when he heard commotion outside. He came out and saw Jiabao running past, followed by several people chasing after him. Without thinking twice, he threw his bowl and chopsticks at the leader, then grabbed the man’s shoulder, trying to stop him.

Naturally, the leading man tried to break free when someone grabbed him, and they ended up in a physical altercation.

The corridor was narrow, and Yu Qingze and the man started fighting in front, blocking the way for others. Another black-clad person went to help their leader, attempting to team up and subdue Yu Qingze.

Brother Le saw the fight from the kitchen and grabbed a rolling pin, rushing out to smash it against the black-clad people, trying to save Yu Qingze.

The frustrated black-clad individuals quickly raised their hands to block the blows, shouting, “Stop fighting! Stop fighting!”

Chang Hao was small and didn’t have much strength, so he grabbed a tray and forcefully slapped one of the black-clad individuals with it.

“Tie Zhu, Xiaoshu, Erniu, quickly, go help Boss Yu!” Brother Chang shouted from outside.

The other staff members outside saw the situation and the men rushed to help. The customers inside the restaurant gathered around to watch as the fight unfolded.

Over there, Jiabao had already reached the back door, but upon hearing the commotion behind him, he turned around and saw Yu Qingze and Brother Le fighting with the black-clad individuals! Moreover, those black-clad individuals seemed skilled and hadn’t drawn their weapons yet. They had caught hold of Yu Qingze and Brother Le’s wrists.

Jiabao’s eyes widened, filled with astonishment, panic, and fear. He stood by the door, watching the chaotic scene, feeling torn. His fingers clenched tightly around the doorknob, the knuckles turning white. Finally, as he looked at Yu Qingze and Chang Le, he gritted his teeth and rushed back, shouting loudly.

“Stop fighting! Stop fighting!”

“Halt! We were sent by Lord Cai!”

Two voices sounded simultaneously, and the people who were fighting paused for a moment.

“Sent by Lord Cai?” Yu Qingze furrowed his brow and asked, “Which Lord Cai?”

The leading man, seeing them cease their actions, released his grip on Yu Qingze’s arm and said, “Lord Cai Wendong, sent by Lord Cai.”

What does Lord Cai want with Jiabao? And why did they immediately start arresting people?

Yu Qingze rubbed his wrist and glanced at Jiabao, noticing the fear in the young boy. He walked over, patted his shoulder, and his hand remained there, not letting go. He frowned at the black-clad individuals and spoke in a low voice, “What do you want with Jiabao?”

Seeing that both sides’ leaders had stopped fighting, their subordinates also halted and stood beside their respective bosses, facing each other in confrontation.

The leading man didn’t answer Yu Qingze’s question. He looked at Jiabao and asked, “Tian Jiabao, is your real name Fu Jiayu? And are you also called Yuan Xin?”

Jiabao lowered his head and trembled slightly upon hearing the leading man’s words. Unconsciously, he moved a little closer to Yu Qingze’s side.

Yu Qingze tightened his grip on Jiabao’s shoulder, signaling him not to be afraid, and then he said to the leading man, “So what if he is? And what if he isn’t?”

The leading man furrowed his brow and said, “Boss, we have been ordered by Lord Cai to search for the wife and son of former Assistant Minister of Revenue, Fu Lei. We have no intention of harming him. Please don’t obstruct us.”

Former Assistant Minister of Revenue, Fu Lei?

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze glanced at Jiabao. He had already suspected that Jiabao might have an extraordinary background, but he didn’t expect it to be this remarkable. Former Assistant Minister of Revenue, a high-ranking official in the imperial court. If this was Yu Qingze’s previous world, it would be equivalent to the rank of a deputy minister.

Brother Le and the others beside Yu Qingze were also shocked and looked at Jiabao with astonishment. A young boy like Jiabao turned out to be the child of such a prominent figure?

Truly unexpected!

Yu Qingze asked, “How are you so certain that Jiabao is Mr. Fu’s son?”

The leading man replied, “We have investigated thoroughly. Don’t obstruct us any further, or we won’t be polite.”

Yu Qingze stood his ground and said, “If Lord Cai is looking for Jiabao and wants to take my brother away, you have to tell me the reason. Otherwise, even if it’s Lord Cai, we will still resist.”

Jiabao, upon hearing this, looked up at Yu Qingze, then glanced at the leading man, his brow furrowed.

The leading man frowned, wondering why the shop owner was being so difficult. After a moment of consideration, he decided to address Jiabao directly. “Tian Jiabao, you ran away as soon as you heard me mention Fu Jiayu. That confirms you are indeed him. We have been searching for you for days. Lord Cai has information about Mr. Fu, and he wants us to find you and take you to meet him. Lord Cai will be returning to Tongshan City today. Do you want to come with us to meet him?”

“Lord Cai knows about my father?” Jiabao raised his head in anxiety and asked eagerly.

With this reaction, it was as good as an admission.

The people around gasped in realization that Jiabao was indeed the son of that Mr. Fu!

The leading man nodded and said, “Lord Cai is a good friend of your father. He just returned from the capital and came straight to Tongshan City. We were ordered to find you and your mother first, but we didn’t expect to find you here in Tongshan City.”

Upon hearing this, Jiabao tightened his grip on his clothes and asked with a quivering voice, “Something happened in the capital?”

The leading man fell silent for a moment and then said, “You’ll find out when you meet Lord Cai.”

Jiabao glanced at Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze patted his head and asked, “Do you want me to accompany you?”

With teary eyes, Jiabao nodded.

“Okay, let’s go,” Yu Qingze said.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: Jiabao is the real protagonist lol

Honeymoon Period

The next day, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, the early birds had already started chirping on the branches.

Chang Le suddenly sat up in surprise, looking around with a bewildered expression, still groggy and not fully awake.

“Brother Le, what’s wrong?” With his embrace suddenly empty, Yu Qingze also woke up and sat up, asking.

Chang Le turned to look at Yu Qingze, rubbed his eyes, and then sighed in relief. He gestured, indicating that he thought he was still in the shop and had overslept.

He was used to waking up before dawn in the shop. He thought he was still there and became worried that he would be late for opening the shop. It was only when he saw Yu Qingze beside him that he realized what had happened. Yesterday, he and Big Brother Yu became a couple, they had become one, and yesterday… they had completed the ceremonial rituals.

Thinking about last night, Chang Le felt his cheeks flush, but inexplicably, he felt a closer relationship with Brother Yu.

It was a feeling of merging into one.

Yu Qingze gently pressed Chang Le back onto the bed, holding him tightly and saying, “It’s still early, sleep a little longer.”

Chang Le’s biological clock was already set, so he couldn’t fall back asleep now. Nestled in Yu Qingze’s arms, he didn’t dare move, afraid of disturbing Yu Qingze’s rest. In the dim light, he opened his eyes and counted the new stubble on his chin—one, two, three…

After counting for a while, he quietly extended his index finger and lightly touched Yu Qingze’s chin, feeling the roughness.

As Chang Le touched his chin for a while, Yu Qingze suddenly opened his mouth and gently bit Chang Le’s finger, giving it a kiss.

“Fun, isn’t it? Hmm?”

Chang Le’s eyes curved.

Seeing his expression, Yu Qingze intentionally rubbed his chin against Chang Le’s face, the prickly stubble tickling him and making Chang Le burst into laughter.

“Ticklish or not?” Yu Qingze reached out to touch Chang Le’s waist, gently massaging it. Last night was their first time together, and they had done it twice. The second time took a bit longer, and he was worried that his lack of experience might have hurt Chang Le.

Chang Le raised his eyes, looked at Yu Qingze, blushed, and nodded, indicating that it was a little ticklish.

Yu Qingze kissed his forehead and increased the pressure in his hand as he continued to massage.

Chang Le felt comfortable being kneaded and enjoyed his husband’s service with half-closed eyes.

While massaging, Yu Qingze’s hand slid down, gliding over the hills and reaching the valley, giving it a touch.

Chang Le’s body stiffened, and he twisted forward, looking at Yu Qingze with open eyes, gesturing and asking, “Are you going to do it again?”

Yu Qingze was taken aback when he saw the gesture, but then he burst into laughter and playfully rubbed Chang Le’s nose, saying, “Do you want to do it again? Hmm?”

Chang Le neither nodded nor shook his head, gesturing instead, “If you want to, then I’ll do it.”

In fact, he still felt a bit swollen, as if something was still inside his body, causing some discomfort. But more than that, it reminded him of the feeling from last night. It was… comfortable.

Bringing up the question now made him feel ticklish, as if feathers were lightly tickling his mind. Well, to be honest, he did want to do it again, but he was too embarrassed to bring it up. However, if Brother Yu expressed his desire, he could go along with it…

Yu Qingze chuckled softly, brushed Chang Le’s nose, and said, “Weren’t you very shy just now? How come you’re so bold now?”

Chang Le shyly blinked his eyes and snuggled into Yu Qingze’s embrace, not saying anything.

Yu Qingze silently chuckled. This little darling was sometimes easily embarrassed, but other times surprisingly bold, always bringing him pleasant surprises.

“My dear, I wanted to ask if you feel any pain here. Are you hurt?” Yu Qingze lightly touched that area and anxiously asked in a soft voice. Based on the knowledge he gained in his previous life, when two men engage in such activities, especially for the first time, that area is prone to injury and requires careful care.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Upon hearing that, Chang Le lifted his head and shook it, then gestured, “I’m not hurt, just a bit swollen. It should get better in a while.”

Yu Qingze felt slightly relieved upon hearing this.

He had just tasted the pleasure, and last night was naturally not enough. In that short moment earlier, Little Aze had already awakened.

However, he didn’t dare to arouse Chang Le’s body further at the moment, fearing that he might end up getting burned himself. After all, it was Chang Le’s first time last night, so he couldn’t be too forceful. For the sake of long-term happiness, he had to take good care of Chang Le’s body. At least he had to wait until Chang Le’s body adjusted before seeking further intimacy.

Although it was uncomfortable to resist the temptation, he couldn’t bear to let go of the person in his arms. Silently, he shifted his body slightly backward to avoid arousing Chang Le’s suspicion.

During these three days after their marriage, they didn’t have to go to the shop. They entrusted Brother Chang and others to take care of it, and Jiabao was there to oversee things as well.

With plenty of time left in the morning, the two of them silently cuddled together as if dozing off.

As they held each other, Yu Qingze felt Chang Le inching closer, their bodies pressing against each other, and their noses lightly rubbing against Yu Qingze’s chin. Chang Le’s lips occasionally brushed against his chin, causing a ticklish sensation.

Yu Qingze’s heart leaped with joy. Was Chang Le’s body unconsciously seeking intimacy with him, craving him?

When Chang Le’s lips brushed against his chin again, Yu Qingze gently lowered his head, capturing those tempting lips, and fully entwined Chang Le’s tongue in his own mouth. As he had expected, Chang Le was also yearning for him. The moment their lips touched, Chang Le responded passionately.

“Is it okay?” Yu Qingze asked in a husky voice.

Chang Le’s eyes were filled with mist, and he nodded gently, lightly pressing down on Yu Qingze’s arm and leaning in for a kiss.

With Chang Le’s consent, Yu Qingze became like a fierce tiger descending from the mountain, no longer holding back his desires.

…

A majestic fish, freed from its owner’s restraint, rejoiced in its newfound freedom and set out to find a hidden paradise.

It swam through the vast ocean, breaking through numerous barriers, and traversed a dense forest. There, it encountered an adorable little turtle it had seen before—a bit clumsy but unexpectedly delightful. The fish paused, joyfully playing and getting close to the little turtle until the turtle grew tired and went to rest. Then, the fish resumed its journey.

After a while, the majestic fish arrived at a valley.

The valley was abundant with lush water plants, and a gentle and clear stream flowed through it. Excitedly, the fish leaped into the water, swimming joyfully. As it swam, it reached the upstream of the stream and discovered steep cliffs on both sides, with sheer rock faces. At the bottom of the cliffs, there was a secluded cave, from which the clear stream flowed.

The fish looked at the cave entrance, small and mysterious yet enticing. A strange charm seemed to be drawing it in. It gathered its energy and cautiously stuck its head into the cave, but it was met with resistance. Undeterred, the fish mustered its strength and continued to squeeze into the cave until it finally managed to enter.

Inside the cave, it was dark but warm, as if wrapped in something. What’s more, as soon as it entered, it immediately felt its spiritual energy surging, providing immense comfort. Moreover, the longer it stayed, the more it sensed its spiritual energy increasing, and its cultivation growing.

Filled with excitement, it bravely ventured forward, pushing forward until it reached the end of the cave! Suddenly, the cave trembled violently, and then, something started shimmering on the wall ahead. Seizing the momentum, the fish fiercely rushed forward, colliding with force!

Instantly, a warm liquid, warmer than the previous stream, gushed out. This liquid made it even more agile, allowing it to move freely, and intensified the spiritual energy within its body.

It repeatedly and fiercely collided with that part of the cave wall, generating more liquid and enriching its own spiritual energy.

Its cultivation gradually strengthened, growing stronger and stronger!

Finally, it broke through!

…

As the heavy rain subsided, the sky began to brighten.

Satisfied, Yu Qingze hugged Chang Le and planted a kiss on his face. He whispered, “Brother Le, did you feel good?”

Chang Le’s forehead was moist with sweat, his cheeks flushed, and his breath hadn’t completely calmed down. Upon hearing the question, he nodded earnestly. It felt so good!

Seeing this, Yu Qingze felt a surge of contentment.

“Do you want to sleep a little longer?”

Chang Le shook his head. It was already so bright outside, how could he continue lying in bed?

“It’s alright, it’s just the two of us here. I don’t want you to be too tired. Be good, lie down for a while, and I’ll call you when breakfast is ready?”

Chang Le looked at Yu Qingze, slightly hesitant, but eventually nodded. His waist was indeed a little sore, and he was quite tired. Resting for a while would be nice.

Yu Qingze got up and went to freshen up and prepare breakfast. When he finished, he saw Chang Le sleeping soundly and couldn’t bear to wake him up. So he climbed back into bed and cuddled his beloved wife, enjoying a peaceful nap.

According to their previous agreement with Grandpa Chang, they would have their meals at their new home today and return to their old home on the third day.

As a newlywed couple and with such a rare leisurely time, they didn’t step out of the house for the whole day.

After waking up in the morning, it was already close to noon. The two of them cooked together, had lunch, and then spent the afternoon tidying up their new home.

After dinner, Yu Qingze brought a stove into their washroom and heated water in a pot on top of it, so they wouldn’t need to go to the kitchen to get hot water at night.

Naturally, they indulged in each other’s company in the evening.

After the encounter in the morning, Yu Qingze noticed that Chang Le had ample lubrication and didn’t experience dryness. They would need several days of rest after intercourse. He wasn’t sure if it was due to Chang Le’s exceptional talent, the ger physique in this world, or different physical structures. In any case, he had only used a bit of the lubricant he had prepared for the first time and hadn’t needed it since then.

Yu Qingze naturally felt delighted about this.

On the third day, Yu Qingze and Chang Le, as a married couple, returned to their old home with the gifts they had prepared.

After having lunch, they started packing and moving in the afternoon.

The furniture in the new house was all newly made, so there was no need to move it. They only had to transfer their clothes and other belongings.

Not having to move furniture made things much easier. They didn’t have a lot of clothes either. They packed their things and used a handcart to transport them back and forth a few times. They also moved the chickens, the pair of piglets they had recently bought, and firewood. That completed the move. Besides, the two places were close to each other, so they could always come back to pick up anything they needed.

In the evening, the whole family gathered together and had their first true reunion dinner in the new home.

After dinner, the two young boys ran around the yard, excitedly playing. The red lanterns that were hung in the corridor for the wedding were still there. They lit the oil lamps inside each lantern, filling the yard with a warm yellow light.

This new house was so big, spacious, and beautiful. It had multiple rooms…

Due to the boys’ insistence, they ended up sleeping in the same room, with bunk beds, while the other room became a study. Yu Qingze had prepared two new desks and made a bookshelf, giving it a neat and organized appearance.

On the fourth day, Grandpa Chang, Yu Qingze, and Chang Le went up the mountain to pay respects to their deceased siblings and Chang Le’s parents. They informed them that Chang Le had gotten married, that his husband was good to him, and that they were living well now. They wanted to assure the deceased family members that there was no need to worry.

***

Life gradually returned to normal.

With the weather warming up and Grandpa Chang’s old ailment improving, Yu Qingze and Chang Le returned to living in the shop, replacing Brother Chang and his mother.

Yu Qingze started considering their future once again.

For the sake of their business and their own happiness, it was time to train a few more apprentices, besides Brother Chang and his mother.

They needed someone skilled in making dim sum and cooking.

Relying solely on themselves to do everything was exhausting for both him and Chang Le. Once the apprentices were trained, they could focus on management. Yu Qingze was worried that if they continued doing everything as they had before, their nighttime activities would be affected.

That was not the life he desired.

While Yu Qingze was planning how to select and train apprentices, a group of private security guards unexpectedly arrived at the shop, startling them.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: The whole fish thing describing sex was just …. undescribable lololol … was the author indicating a sperm swimming around or what? I was confused.

Studying Together

As night fell, the guests gradually departed, and the villagers who had come to help swiftly tidied up the wedding venue before bidding farewell and returning home.

Before leaving, Matchmaker Liao, went into the new house and handed a small booklet to Chang Le, urging him to take a good look before the groom entered the room. Then he left.

Curiosity piqued, Chang Le opened the booklet and flipped through a page, blushing furiously before hastily closing it and hiding it under the pillow.

What… What is this?

After a while, still blushing, Chang Le cautiously pulled out the booklet and began to read it, his cheeks burning hot.

Outside the room, once all the guests had left, Grandpa Chang instructed, “There is hot water on the stove in the kitchen, and there are dumplings, rice cakes, and dishes in the pot. They’re still warm. Remember to eat if you’re hungry.”

Grandpa Chang, Chang Hao, and Jiabao are also returning to the old house tonight. Not everything has been moved to the new house yet, so they will wait for Chang Le to return in three days before moving again.

Yu Qingze nodded in response to the words.

After closing the door, Yu Qingze went to the well to wash his face, then walked quickly towards the new house.

As he approached the entrance, he paused for a moment, straightened his ceremonial robe, lifted his arm to sniff his clothes, and detected a smell of alcohol. He frowned. However, he only had this one ceremonial robe and couldn’t change it.

He decided to loosen his belt, open the front of his robe to create a breeze, hoping to dissipate the smell of alcohol a bit so that it wouldn’t bother Brother Le.

Inside the house, upon hearing footsteps approaching, Chang Le hurriedly stuffed the small booklet back under the pillow, adjusted the pillow, pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and unconsciously clenched his fingers tightly.

Outside, the footsteps stopped but didn’t enter the house.

With his head covered, Chang Le couldn’t see outside and could only listen attentively to the movements.

I wonder what Brother Yu is doing. Why isn’t he coming in?

Chang Le quietly lifted a corner of the cover to peek towards the door… Of course, he couldn’t see anything, only a glimpse of the door panel through the screen, but somehow it seemed to calm his nerves a little.

Creak…

The door opened! Brother Yu is coming in!

Chang Le quickly put the cover back down, placed his hands on his knees, straightened his posture, and sat upright.

Yu Qingze bypassed the screen and saw Chang Le sitting on the wedding bed, waiting for him. His heart began to beat rapidly, urging him to hurry over.

He approached slowly and saw Chang Le sitting up straight, the cover slightly moving, hands clasped on his thighs, and his left index finger unconsciously picking at the little finger of his right hand.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Yu Qingze’s lips curved into a smile as he walked over and sat next to Chang Le, taking his hand and holding it.

“Brother Le,” Yu Qingze paused, grinned, and said, “No, it should be, my wife, sorry for the long wait, I’m back.”

Chang Le’s covered head trembled slightly, and his fingers squeezed Yu Qingze’s hand.

Yu Qingze chuckled, gave Chang Le’s hand a squeeze, and continued, “By the way, now we should uncover the cover first, right?”

He placed Chang Le’s hand back on his thigh, then stood up and went to the small table in front, picked up the veil, and returned to stand in front of Chang Le. Gently, he lifted the red veil on Chang Le’s head with the veil stick.

As the veil fell, the beautiful countenance was revealed.

Yu Qingze stared at Chang Le intently. After a while, he softly said, “Brother Le, lift your head.”

Chang Le, upon hearing this, raised his head slightly, pursed his lips, smiled at him, and quickly lowered his head again.

Yu Qingze chuckled softly, holding Chang Le’s hand, he led him to the table, put the veil stick back on the table, and poured two cups of wine—one for Chang Le and one for himself. He said, “Let’s toast to our union.”

Chang Le accepted the cup.

The two intertwined their arms around each other’s and drank the vow wine.

From this day forward, Yu Qingze was his husband, and Chang Le was his wife. They were united as one, their hearts forever entwined.

Setting down their wine cups, Yu Qingze reached out and caressed Chang Le’s cheek, gently tracing his eyebrows, eyes, nose, and lips. His eyes were filled with infatuation, as if he couldn’t get enough of the sight before him.

“You look so beautiful.”

Chang Le blushed at his words, tilted his head to look at the man in front of him, his eyes filled with a hint of shyness and unmistakable love.

After admiring for quite a while, Yu Qingze leaned in, wrapped his arm around Chang Le’s waist, gently kissed the center of his forehead, kissed his eyes, pecked his nose, and lightly brushed his lips against Chang Le’s. Then he whispered, “Brother Le, my wife, I love you.”

Chang Le’s heart trembled, he tilted his head slightly back, creating a bit of distance, and gestured in front of Yu Qingze, indicating, “I love you too.”

“Mm, I know.” Yu Qingze caught Chang Le’s hand, kissed it, and then pulled him to sit down, saying, “You must be starving after not eating anything all day. Sit for a moment, I’ll bring the food over.”

Saying that, Yu Qingze went to the kitchen and brought back the meal, including rice balls and dumplings.

Chang Le was indeed famished. He had woken up very early in the morning and only had a little bit to eat. He hadn’t eaten anything for lunch either, so he was extremely hungry.

Therefore, he didn’t bother with pretense and started eating.

Yu Qingze told him to take his time and then went to the washroom in the adjacent room to freshen up. He took hot water from there and brought it over. In the washroom next door, there was a basin filled with pre-prepared clean water. After Chang Le finished eating, he could directly go there to wash up.

Chang Le finished eating until he was about 70% full and then set the bowl aside. He took his clothes and went to wash up.

When Chang Le came out after washing up, Yu Qingze had already cleared the bowls and chopsticks, and the scent of the food in the room had dissipated. The red dates, peanuts, longan, and lotus seeds on the bed had also been removed.

Chang Le went around the folding screen and saw Yu Qingze leaning against the headboard, flipping through a small booklet.

Chang Le: …!! Look at the cover, isn’t that the booklet given by Matchmaker Liao!

He immediately rushed over and snatched the small booklet from Yu Qingze’s hand, hiding it behind his back, blushing and unable to look at anyone.

Yu Qingze was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled lightly and said, “…Brother Le, do you also want to take a look? Shall we appreciate it together?”

Chang Le shook his head blankly. “‘Also’? It seems like Brother Yu’s reaction is a bit strange.”

“Don’t be shy. This is something very beautiful and normal between married couples.” Yu Qingze got off the bed, pulled Chang Le over, had him sit on the bed, and then embraced him. He took the small booklet from Chang Le’s hand and held it from behind. He rested his head on Chang Le’s shoulder and whispered in his ear, “We’ve already done some things together, haven’t we? Later, we’ll complete what we haven’t done yet.”

With that, Yu Qingze opened the small booklet, wanting Chang Le to familiarize himself with it first to avoid feeling nervous later.

The booklet was right in front of him, and Chang Le couldn’t hide from it, so he took a quick glance.

Huh, why is the first page different from what he had seen before?

He flipped back a couple of pages, then returned to the cover and breathed a sigh of relief.

Chang Le: I thought it was the one I had hidden. The cover is the same, but the content inside is different. It’s not the same booklet. Thankfully, thankfully!

He subtly glanced at the pillow that was hiding his own booklet. The pillow had been slightly askew from Yu Qingze leaning on it earlier, but fortunately, it hadn’t been exposed.

“My dear, are you reading it so quickly? Are you eager to see more pages and learn different positions?” Yu Qingze teased as he watched Chang Le flipping through the pages rapidly.

As Chang Le heard his words, his face instantly turned crimson, and he angrily slapped his hand.

“It’s okay, we’ll try them one by one soon,” Yu Qingze suppressed his laughter and lowered his voice as he maneuvered his hand through Chang Le’s back and knees, lifting him onto the bed.

He reached up and removed the hairpin from Chang Le’s hair, and as the dark locks cascaded down, Yu Qingze kissed Chang Le’s lips.

They had engaged in kissing and other intimate activities many times before, so they were already familiar with each other’s bodies to some extent. With the busy period they had gone through, it had been a while since they were this intimate, and they quickly fell into the rhythm.

After their passionate reunion, Yu Qingze reached out his left hand towards the pillow, intending to retrieve the ointment he had prepared. However, unexpectedly, his hand touched something beneath the pillow and pulled out another booklet.

He glanced at it sideways, then opened it briefly. He leaned in close to Chang Le’s ear and said playfully, “So my dear also has such a precious collection. We must thoroughly study it another day.”

Chang Le turned his head to take a quick look, blushing, and hastily snatched the booklet, throwing it away. Then, he pulled a corner of the blanket and covered his face.

Yu Qingze chuckled lightly, and with the ointment in hand, he lifted the corner of the blanket while showering his dear with kisses, whispering some embarrassing words to soothe his beloved in his embrace…

The red curtain slowly descended, and a faint fragrance filled the air inside the canopy. Their silhouettes intertwined, and it became a night of blissful love.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: OK, I was a little confused by the title “Studying together” coz this is the wedding chapter but turned out they were reading porn together sheesh hahahahah

Getting Married

The house built by Yu Qingze was grand, and he had chosen top-quality materials, attracting many villagers to gather and watch during the construction process.

Now that it was completed, it looked even more impressive.

The entire house was made of blue bricks and large roof tiles. In addition to the main house, there were two wing rooms on both sides, as well as some small side rooms. There was a surrounding wall enclosing the entire property, including the pigsty, firewood shed, and storage room in the backyard, all made of blue bricks and tiles.

Entering through the front gate, there were corridors on both sides, directly connected to the east and west wing rooms. Even in the rain, one could walk through the corridors and reach the main house through the east and west wing rooms.

On both sides of the east and west wing rooms, there were small side rooms. Yu Qingze divided the small side rooms into two sections, connecting one of them to a bedroom. He turned it into a front washroom with a rear toilet.

He put a lot of effort into designing the toilet, making it a semi-modern squat toilet. It had a sloping pathway made of several long, smooth stone troughs that led directly to the septic tank outside the house. Because the pathway was long, the smell from the septic tank wouldn’t enter the house, which was very convenient.

There were three such toilets, one in each of the east and west wing rooms, and one in the main house. This way, it wouldn’t be so difficult to go to the toilet during the cold winter nights.

In the middle was a spacious courtyard with two small flower beds. The rest of the space was left empty for drying things. The main house had a spacious hall in the middle, with the kitchen on the left and two bedrooms on the right. A water well was dug at the entrance of the kitchen, eliminating the need to fetch water from outside, making things very convenient.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Behind the main house, there are storage rooms, a woodshed, and pigsties.

The villagers eagerly went inside to explore, looking here and there, filled with curiosity.

No wonder it’s Boss Yu, even the house is different from others. Look at this house, it’s more spacious and better than Master Yu Xiucai’s. It’s the first of its kind in Niutou Village.

Old Man Cai and Old Man Zhao heard that Yu Qingze’s house was completed, so they found time to come together and visit.

Yu Qingze was extremely happy. Both families have deep blessings, so their visit couldn’t be better. According to tradition, if fortunate and noble people are invited to visit the new home before moving in, it brings blessings and good luck to the new house.

The two families looked at the new house one by one and nodded in approval. They all thought it was great, especially the toilet, which left a deep impression. They thought it was very convenient and wanted to have one in their own homes.

After the new house was completed, Yu Qingze and his family spent a whole day cleaning every corner and opened the windows for ventilation. Then they temporarily locked the door.

They still needed to invite someone to choose an auspicious date for moving in and also consider a lucky date for the marriage.

On the eighth day of the third month, Yu Qingze went to find Matchmaker Liao to discuss the marriage matters and asked him to find someone to choose an auspicious date.

The person they found to choose an auspicious date was an elderly man. He visited the new house and examined the birth charts of the couple. After calculating for a while, he finally said, “This month, there are two good days for moving in and getting married. The tenth day is suitable for moving in, and the twenty-eighth is suitable for marriage and moving in.”

“Moving in on the tenth is possible, but would it be too rushed for the wedding?” Grandpa Chang asked the elderly man which day next month would be suitable for the wedding.

The elderly man replied, “There are no suitable days in April for the two of them to get married. It will have to be in May, and May sixteenth is also a good day.”

Yu Qingze couldn’t wait to get married immediately. Upon hearing this, he asked Matchmaker Liao, “Uncle, do you think the twenty-eighth is possible? What preparations do we need?”

Matchmaker Liao answered, “It’s a bit rushed, but it’s still manageable. It’s possible to make it on time. However, have you prepared your wedding attire?”

“Can’t we buy wedding attire?” Yu Qingze asked.

Brother Le listened on the side and gestured, “I’ve prepared mine.”

Yu Qingze looked at Brother Le in astonishment, “Brother Le, you’ve prepared the wedding attire? When did you do it? I didn’t see you doing it.”

Brother Le blushed slightly and gestured, “I started preparing before the new year. Brother Chang and his mother also helped. It was completed a couple of days ago.”

Yu Qingze asked, “Did you make mine too?”

Brother Le nodded with a red face.

It seems that Brother Le and I had the same idea, both eager to get married soon. Yu Qingze felt delighted and smiled. He then said to Matchmaker Liao, “The wedding attire is ready.”

Matchmaker Liao asked, “What about the wedding quilt?”

“We can buy that,” Yu Qingze replied. Making it ourselves would be too tiring for Brother Le.

Upon hearing this, Matchmaker Liao said, “That works too. Well then, Uncle, if you agree with the twenty-eighth, you need to start preparing quickly.”

Grandpa Chang looked at the two couples and, seeing that they both wanted the twenty-eighth, nodded and said, “Let’s go with the twenty-eighth then.”

Yu Qingze asked the elderly person who chose the auspicious date, “Sir, can I move in and get married on the same day?”

The elderly person replied, “You can, if you don’t mind the hassle on that day.”

Yu Qingze said, “I don’t have time to organize a separate housewarming banquet. Let’s combine the housewarming and the wedding together. Grandfather, Brother Le, what do you think?”

Both of them had no objections.

So, they decided to move in and get married together on the twenty-eighth.

They discussed some precautions for moving in and other matters regarding the wedding. In the afternoon, Yu Qingze, led by Matchmaker Liao, went to the city to purchase the betrothal gifts.

They were busy buying the betrothal gifts for two days. Just after Yu Qingze finished purchasing the gifts, the next day, Grandpa Chang asked Matchmaker Liao to go and prepare the dowry. Matchmaker Liao was busy running around as well.

After both sides had finished their purchases, Matchmaker Liao went through the subsequent procedures as per Yu Qingze’s request.

Two days later, the village chief had the furniture prepared and applied varnish according to Yu Qingze’s requirements.

A few men moved the large pieces of furniture into the new house and placed them casually. They would arrange them properly on the auspicious day of moving in.

The preparations for moving in and the wedding were progressing smoothly.

Meanwhile, in this month, two major events also took place in Dasheng Village.

First, on the ninth day of the third month, the Chunwei examination was held.

(T/N: Chunwei examination was an imperial examination held during the Tang Dynasty in ancient China. It was a significant examination that took place in the spring and was open to talented scholars seeking official positions in the government. The successful candidates would be eligible for appointment to various bureaucratic positions within the imperial court.)

Second, in early March, a particularly massive corruption and bribery case was uncovered in the court. The emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation. Two high-ranking officials involved in the case were thrown into the imperial prison, while the other implicated officials were all thrown into the prison of the Ministry of Justice, awaiting punishment according to the law.

With the investigation of this corruption and bribery case, a nine-year-old wrongful conviction case also came to light.

On the twenty-fourth day of the third month, the county magistrate, the magistrate’s assistant, and the historian of Tongshan City were arrested for their involvement in the case. County Magistrate Zhao Jin temporarily took charge of the administration.

The court was in turmoil, sparking a massive anti-corruption wave. People in the court were in a state of panic, while the common people below praised one another, believing that these parasites of the nation should be rooted out and cleansed!

On the day when the county magistrate and others were arrested, many common people gathered on the streets, throwing rotten eggs, vegetable leaves, and dishwater at these corrupt officials.

Yu Qingze also witnessed this spectacular street parade in front of a snack shop, feeling a sense of relief in his heart.

The news spread throughout the city for several days before gradually calming down.

But Yu Qingze didn’t have time to listen to gossip anymore. The twenty-eighth was approaching, the day of his wedding!

On the twenty-eighth day of the third month, the entire staff of the snack shop took a day off and hung a sign saying, “Closed for one day due to the owner’s joy.”

Niutou Village.

Today, the whole village knew that Yu Qingze was going to marry Brother Le, and it was their auspicious day for moving into the new house.

Outside Yu Qingze’s new house, red lanterns were hung, and red “Xi” characters were pasted. Apart from the beds and cabinets in each room not being properly arranged, everything else was decorated according to the wedding requirements.

Early in the morning, Yu Qingze, accompanied by his family, followed the instructions of the elderly person who determined the auspicious day for moving in and completed all the necessary tasks. Then he freshened up before changing into the wedding attire and opening the door to welcome the guests who came to witness the ceremony.

Afterward, an elderly couple from the village, who had four generations living together, arrived to help Yu Qingze make the bed in his bridal chamber.

They skillfully arranged the wedding bed with red canopy curtains, embroidered mandarin ducks playing in water on the bedding, and matching pillowcases and sheets. They sprinkled peanuts, red dates, longans, and lotus seeds on the bed and playfully placed a small baby on it before picking him up again. They also set up the red candlestick and prepared the wedding wine, then closed the door and left.

Old Master Cai and his wife, accompanied by Cai Yunwei, and Old Man Zhao with his two children, came to witness the ceremony. Boss Liu also came with his spouse. Yu Qingze invited them to the hall and asked the village chief and other elders to keep them company before going out to greet other guests.

The villagers immediately felt that the level of the wedding had greatly improved upon seeing them.

On this day, Jiabao was also dressed in festive attire. He was busy welcoming guests at the entrance and in the courtyard together with the villagers who came to help.

On the other side, not far away, Brother Le’s house was also adorned with colorful decorations. The villagers with the surname Chang gathered there as Brother Le’s family.

Grandpa Chang and Chang Hao were busy welcoming the villagers, their smiles never fading since the morning. Chang Sheng, after the incident of the last feast, had indeed become more open-minded. Today, for Brother Le’s wedding, he also came to help with the bridal procession.

In Brother Le’s room, Brother Chang, his mother, and Wen Li were busy doing his makeup and dressing him up.

Brother Le’s long bangs had just been trimmed a few days ago and now fell neatly, making him look his best.

Wen Li, as his only elder ger figure, was combing his hair for him.

As for Brother Chang’s mother, after Brother Le’s mother passed away, he became the best elder ger to him, taking care of his wedding attire.

After his hair was styled, Brother Chang also applied makeup for Brother Le.

His eyebrows resembled distant black ink, his eyes shone like stars, his nose was delicate and exquisite, and his teeth were white with rosy lips.

“You look so handsome! Boss Yu will definitely be captivated by you!” Brother Chang admired Brother Le’s appearance.

Blushing, Brother Le smiled sheepishly at the compliment. This was his first time wearing makeup, and he couldn’t recognize himself in the mirror.

With her hands on Brother Le’s shoulders, Wen Li looked at him in the bronze mirror and said, “Brother Le, your uncle did a lot of inappropriate things in the past that hurt your heart. I’m sorry.”

Brother Le was taken aback, he pursed his lips and gently shook his head, indicating that the past was already behind them.

Wiping his eyes, Wen Li continued, “Originally, I should have talked to you about what happens after marriage, but you handle things better than I do, and you are more reliable. I won’t say anything. Uncle wishes you and Aze a long and happy life together, growing old together.”

Brother Le smiled and nodded, gently patting Wen Li’s hand to express his gratitude.

Just then, the sound of drums and gongs came from outside. Matchmaker Liao opened the door and said, “The groom is here to welcome the bride. Hurry up and cover his head.”

Wen Li then placed the red veil over Brother Le’s head.

Although Yu Qingze’s new house was only about thirty steps away from Brother Le’s house, Yu Qingze deliberately rented a bridal sedan chair, carried by eight people.

After welcoming Brother Le, they used the sedan chair to bring him back to the new house in a grand manner.

The villagers looked on with sighs and admiration.

Who could have predicted that Brother Le would have such a splendid wedding and marry such an outstanding and capable man?

“The auspicious moment has arrived! The couple should perform the ceremony!”

The couple, holding the red embroidered ball, walked slowly into the hall.

Yu Qingze felt delighted and couldn’t help glancing at Brother Le from time to time.

From today onwards, Brother Le would be his spouse.

He had entered into a marriage!

Brother Le felt both happy and nervous. His palms were sweaty, and he kept his gaze fixed on the ground, afraid of stumbling and embarrassing himself.

Feeling Yu Qingze stop beside him, Brother Le also stopped and let out a breath. They had finally arrived.

“First bow to heaven and earth!”

The two of them turned around and knelt down for a bow.

“Second bow to the parents!”

They turned around again and knelt before Grandfather Chang, who was seated in the center of the hall.

“The exchange of bows between spouses!”

They turned to face each other and slowly performed the bow.

“The ceremony is complete! Escort them to the bridal chamber!”

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