Chapter 68: Expressing Feelings
The July midday sun was scorching. Zhao Xiping had been hiking for days, so he should have been used to it. But at Sui Yu's words, he felt dizzy from standing in the yard. His chest tingled for a moment, like a mosquito bite. The more he paid attention, the more it itched.
Sui Liang passed by, glanced at him, and then trotted to the camel pen to see the baby camels.
Zhao Xiping held his chest and calmed down. He also strode over. The little camel, which had been eating with big mouthfuls of food, immediately shivered and shrank into the corner after seeing him.
Sui Liang turned his head, his eyes full of confusion.
"They are afraid of me. I shot the arrow on their legs," Zhao Xiping explained.
Sui Yu heard it and asked loudly in the kitchen, "Has the arrow wound healed? Does the injured leg affect your walking?"
"They are about 70% to 80% recovered. I just saw that they are still a little lame. I don't know if they will still be lame after the injury healed. But it doesn't matter if they are lame. We can raise them up and sell them to the butcher, and use the money to buy baby camels." Zhao Xiping had already made a plan.
Sui Yu cleaned up the stove, wiped her hands and came out, asking, "Our two big camels, I see they are fine."
"I used a lasso to tether the camels back home. This time I didn't bring a lasso, and I didn't want to miss the wild camels, so I had to shoot them with arrows." Zhao Xiping glanced at her, his eyes quickly scanning her face. He said in a panic, "These two camels are afraid of me. From now on, you will be responsible for raising them. You can train them however you want. Take them and practice."
Sui Yu nodded in agreement. She walked to the entrance of the pen and looked inside. Two big camels were standing side by side. The one that stayed at home had a bulging belly and looked energetic, while the camel that went on a long journey with the male owner was thin and flabby, with a collapsed hump and bones protruding from the skin.
Sui Yu went to the woodshed and scooped two bowls of soybean meal and grabbed two handfuls of dried soybeans. She took them to the trough to feed the camel. The fat camel stretched its neck to grab them, and Sui Yu slapped it twice and sent it away.
The two little camels huddled in the corner looked at her fearfully. Sui Yu turned her eyes away. It would be better to ignore them at this time and give them a few days to adapt.
"Are you hurt?" She walked over to the man and looked at him.
Zhao Xiping lowered his head, and this time he did not avoid her gaze. He looked at her carefully and seriously. Her cheeks were fuller, her face was rosy and healthy, her eyes and mouth were moist, and everything was just right. He looked at her again and again, and could not find any flaws.
"You took good care of yourself when I was not at home," he said.
Sui Yu smiled with his teeth showing.
The man couldn't help but reach out and touch the face in front of him. It felt just as he imagined, smooth and soft, as if his hand was old tree bark.
Sui Yu tilted her head slightly, leaning on his hand, and asked again, "Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Really?"
"You can check it at night..." As soon as Zhao Xiping said this, he wanted to bite his tongue. What nonsense was he talking about? When he saw Sui Yu's meaningful eyes, he regretted it even more.
"You've gained a lot of courage after going out." Sui Yu squinted at him and whispered softly, "Can I give you a bath later?"
"No!" Zhao Xiping reacted strongly.
He quickly retracted his burning hand and said, "That's not what I meant. I have no wounds or injuries."
"It doesn't matter if you mean that. I'm not another man's wife." Sui Yu teased him.
She did not stick to her virginity. When she came back with Zhao Xiping, she was mentally prepared to have a relationship with a strange man. Now she was even less resistant. This man treated her so attentively, so well that it made her feel guilty.
Zhao Xiping waved his hand firmly, signaling her to go away so that he could have some peace and quiet.
"Liang Ge'er and I will take the pigs and sheep out to graze. You can wash up at home and then sleep in the house for half a day. I see that there are heavy blue and black marks under your eyes. I'm afraid you haven't slept well since leaving home." Sui Yu stopped teasing him.
Zhao Xiping also had this idea. He would feel sleepy after eating.
Sui Yu went to open the door. Sui Liang walked into the camel pen, first used a stick to open the sheep pen, and then got into the sheep pen. He then went to open the fence door of the pig pen.
The two sheep came out of the pen and rushed to the kitchen as if they were familiar with the way. The pig slowed down a few steps. When it saw that they wanted to go into the house to eat vegetables again, it rushed over grunting and drove the sheep out.
Zhao Xiping's eyes widened, and he followed subconsciously. When they went out of the gate, the black pig followed the sheep, grunting all the way. If any sheep walked slowly, it would make a "ang" sound and push its snout towards them.
He was not mistaken, his pigs were herding sheep.
"Are you surprised? I have a little helper to herd the sheep." Sui Yu raised his chin slightly and said proudly, "Just wait, the two new camels will definitely be obedient in my hands."
"Okay, okay, you're awesome." Zhao Xiping pushed her and said, "Let's go, Sui Liang is almost out of the alley."
The young couple was very sweet and loving. When people in the alley saw them, although they felt jealous, they had a good impression of Sui Yu. Although this girl had a pretty face, she was not the kind of woman who was fickle and flirted with other women. Unlike Sui Ling, people only thought that she was the cold-faced man in the family.
"Sui Yu, why aren't you at home with Captain Zhao now that he's back? Sheep are not as important as men, right?" The older aunt smiled meaningfully.
"He's going to sleep at home..."
"I need someone to accompany me when I sleep," her aunt interrupted her. She winked and said, "Is Captain Zhao's body all show but no use?"
The others laughed out loud.
Sui Yu reacted, pretended to be shy, and ran away.
With the pigs to look after the sheep, Sui Yu and Sui Liang didn't have to worry too much. The brother and sister found a shady place to sit. Sui Liang opened his mouth and spoke silently over and over again. Sui Yu guessed based on his lip shape. If she guessed correctly, she would get a soybean.
She also couldn't understand why Sui Liang wanted to speak but couldn't make a sound, but she didn't show it on her face and kept encouraging him to keep opening his mouth and speaking.
The sheep were full, and the black pig drove the two sheep back. It wanted to go back.
"Let's go back too." Sui Yu patted her butt and stood up. She and Sui Liang went to chase the pig. When they caught up with it, she gave the pig a handful of soybeans in her hand as a reward.
The sun had not yet set when she got home. Sui Yu saw that the gate was still closed, so she drove the pigs and sheep to the vegetable garden. The radishes would not grow anymore, so she twisted off the old leaves and threw them out to feed the pigs. She planned to dig up the remaining radishes in the vegetable garden in two days, slice them and dry them. She would leave the fertilizer on the vegetable garden for a month, and then she could plant autumn radishes again.
The bitter herbs have sprouted and the shepherd's purse has produced seeds. Sui Yu kept half for seeds and kept the rest for cooking pig feed.
The sun set, Zhao Xiping came over, and Sui Yu went back with him.
"I'll make you some soup noodles tonight. Six days ago, Captain Qu sent someone to deliver ten pounds of meat and a jar of wine. I'll make it for you when I get back..."
"What?" Zhao Xiping stopped. "You mean Captain Qu sent someone to deliver ten pounds of meat and a jar of wine? Did he leave any message?"
The relaxed look on Sui Yu's face disappeared. She forced a smile and said, "The soldier said this is a reward for your meritorious service. It's okay, I'm glad you're okay."
Zhao Xiping pressed his hand, signaling her to stop. He was anxious, and he turned around twice, muttering to himself, "That shouldn't be the case. I told the soldiers that I wanted to accumulate merit, so how could there be any reward? Could it be that he didn't tell the captain? You go back first, I'll go over there."
Sui Yu held him back and said, "Let's go home first, you calm down."
Zhao Xiping pounded his hands. He and Sui Yu went back into the yard. He walked towards the kitchen and said, "Where are the wine and meat? I'll take them over... The meat, is it marinated or eaten? Don't worry, I'll buy more tomorrow morning."
"Captain, do you know the purpose of your mission?" Sui Yu asked.
"He knows. I told him a long time ago that I would earn military merit to free you from slavery."
"Don't go looking for him. He sent the meat and wine to tell you that your contribution is worth it."
"No, I have to go and find out clearly." Zhao Xiping became more and more anxious. He ignored Sui Yu's obstruction and strode out of the door in the sunset glow.
Sui Yu chased him out, but he became stubborn and spoke harshly. She was worried that he would cause trouble, so she hurriedly told Sui Liang to close the door and wait at home, and she went with him.
The officials in the government office had already finished their shift, so Zhao Xiping went to Captain Qu's house. After Sui Yu gave her repeated instructions, she waited under a tree not far away.
After receiving the report from the servant, Captain Qu had someone bring Zhao Xiping in. Zhao Xiping was fighting with his subordinates in the martial arts field. After knocking the long stick out of the opponent's hand, he threw the long stick away and took the handkerchief handed to him by the servant to wipe his sweat.
"I know the purpose of your visit, and He San has also explained your intentions. I regret to inform you that merits are not accumulated. The eight bandits you killed this time are not enough to free your wife and brother-in-law from slavery." Captain Qu did not beat around the bush. He continued patiently, "If merits could be accumulated, I too could become a general. It's all done one at a time."
Zhao Xiping was silent. He thought for a moment and asked, "How much military power can I have to free my wife from slavery?"
Captain Qu walked down from the drill ground. He was a military commander who admired loyal and hardworking soldiers. Based on He San's report, he judged that Zhao Xiping was a good man who could get things done.
"Being eager for quick success and instant benefits is a deadly sword for a military general. I have seen your wife. She is pretty, but what is rare is that she is still devoted to a rough man like you. Think about it, if you die, wouldn't it be a big loss? I advise you not to be too anxious. You are in Dunhuang, there are thirty-six small countries outside Yumen Pass, and there are Huns who are eyeing you covetously to the west of Wusun. How difficult is it to earn military merit? You just need to wait for the opportunity, go out for some experience from time to time during this period, and you must come back alive when you go to the battlefield." He advised.
Zhao Xiping understood that the military merits that could equal slavery could only be earned on the battlefield. He bowed and saluted, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Captain, and for giving me the opportunity to gain experience."
"Well, let's go back."
Zhao Xiping left with the servant who led the way and came out of the Captain's Mansion. He saw Sui Yu running towards him with a worried look on his face.
"How is it?" Sui Yu looked at him worriedly.
It was already dark, the moon was out, and the stars in the sky were like lights, illuminating the night road as I returned home late.
Zhao Xiping held Sui Yu's hand and calmly repeated Captain Qu's words.
"It's okay. I'm not in a hurry. I just want you to suffer." Sui Yu clenched her clasped fingers tightly. She confessed her feelings and said, "When you were not back, I had a dream one night. I dreamed that you were dead, your face covered in blood, lying on the ground with your eyes still open. I woke up scared and wanted to cry. When the officials came to give rewards, I didn't think about anything else. I was just glad that you were still alive. Later, I thought that when I was freed from slavery, I probably wouldn't be as happy as that day."
Zhao Xiping loosened his grip, walked over to Sui Yu, squatted down, and said, "Come up, I'll carry you back."
Sui Yu leaned over, put her arms around his neck, kissed him lightly on the side of his face, and said, "Now you believe I like you, right?"
"I'm so good to you, isn't it normal for you to like me?" Zhao Xiping laughed out loud.
"You have such bad morals." Sui Yu hit him lightly and complained, "I don't know who was the one who gave me the cold shoulder before."
"You weren't sincere to me at first."
It's even.
"I will definitely free you from slavery." Zhao Xiping had forgotten the dangers and hardships along the way as soon as he came back. He said this to Sui Yu, and also to himself. If the previous promise was due to Sui Yu's illness, this time it was his own choice, and he did it willingly.
It was already very late when she got home and most of the neighbors had gone to bed. Sui Yu was not afraid of trouble. She lit a lamp and boiled oil to knead the dough, roll it out and pull noodles. She also diced the meat and stir-fried it with meat sauce. She also fried three eggs as a luxury.
"Dumplings when you go out, noodles when you come home. Welcome home safely." Sui Yu said solemnly, "From now on, every time you go out, you must come back safely."
"Okay." Zhao Xiping agreed.
After Sui Liang fell asleep at night, the couple slept in the same bed again. The summer night was already hot, and the two of them hugged each other so hot that their clothes were soaked with sweat, and their rapid breathing was like boiling water.
Sui Yu undressed, looking down at the man in her arms. She pressed his head and asked softly, "Your mother said I have no breasts and no buttocks. Do you think it's true or false?"
The man said nothing. When the situation was about to collapse, he got out of bed and ran out.
Sui Yu lay on the bed for a while, then she tied her bellyband and went out. When she saw the man sitting on the stone, she squatted over.
"Stay away from me."
"No." Sui Yu pulled his hand away and sat over. She put her arms around the man's neck and said with a smile, "You're so stupid today. You were stunned when you saw me."
Zhao Xiping pushed her, but couldn't push her away, so he could only hug her, stroking her smooth back with his fingertips.
"If you had looked like this from the beginning, why would you bother working to please me? I would have worshipped you as my ancestor and begged you to allow me to earn military merit to free you from military service."
He was making fun of her, Sui Yu hit him, this face was not hers, but her inner character was hers, it was not this face that he liked.
"Admit it, you like me as a person." She snorted.
"What do you like?" The man pinched her chin, rubbing it with his fingertips. He sneered, "I don't like it. It costs both money and life. Who would like it?"
"You."
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