62 Chapter 62
◎Greedy Cat◎
The sky is blue, the ground is yellow, the autumn colors extend to the waves, and there is cold green smoke on the waves. The mountains reflect the setting sun and the sky meets the water; the autumn air is high and refreshing, even beyond the setting sun. 【1】
Finally, the day off comes and I can go out and relax.
Qingzhu was not allowed to drive today. The two of them sat side by side in the front of the carriage, breathing in the fresh air of the suburbs, and they couldn't help but feel refreshed.
"I want two pheasants when we go hunting later." When people relax, they want to eat something. Jiang Jingyun licked his lips and said, "I haven't eaten beggar's chicken for a long time. I am a little greedy."
"Okay, I'll hunt a few for you later." Xiao Muyan always responded to Jiang Jingyun's requests. "Don't lick your lips, they're already cracked."
After saying that, Xiao Muyan put down the whip in his hand, took out the lip balm in his arms, and gently applied some on his lips.
The weather in the north is too dry, and the skin and lips are prone to cracking, but Jiang Jingyun often forgets to apply lip balm. Fortunately, someone remembers for him.
Leaning on the broad shoulders, Jiang Jingyun's face was full of smiles, "Why are you so nice to me?"
Xiao Muyan tilted his head and gently kissed his lover's forehead, "Don't you like it?"
"Hehe, I like it." Being able to know and stay with her was the best decision he had ever made in his life.
Xiao Muyan chuckled, stretched out his hand and held his fingers tightly, all his love was expressed without words.
The carriages were moving slowly on the road to the villa. When they were almost there, the carriage in front suddenly stopped.
Jiang Jingyun stood on tiptoe to look ahead, but he was not tall enough and his view was blocked by several carriages. Just as he was about to walk over to see what was going on, he heard Xiao Muyan say, "You and my little sister stay in the carriage. I'll go over and take a look."
Before he could react, the tall and long-legged man had already walked a long way in just a few steps, and Jiang Jingyun could only wait there.
After waiting in boredom for almost an incense stick of time in the carriage, Jiang Jingyun finally saw someone coming back. He raised his hand and handed him a handkerchief. "Why are you sweating all over? What happened?"
Xiao Muyan took it and wiped the sweat off his forehead twice. "A carriage got stuck in a ditch and couldn't get out. It blocked the road. We went over to help."
"Oh, can we go now?"
Xiao Muyan looked at him, "Are you hungry?"
"Yeah." Jiang Jingyun answered honestly. He stayed in bed late in the morning and before he had time to eat breakfast, he was urged to go out by Su Yuheng who lived next door. As he was traveling with his female relatives, he felt embarrassed to make everyone wait for him, so he only hurriedly ate a few snacks in the car. His stomach was already starving.
Xiao Muyan smiled and touched his face, "Eat two snacks first to fill your stomach, we will be there soon."
Sure enough, in less than half a cup of tea, we arrived at the villa.
It is called a villa, but in fact it is more like a carefully maintained farm.
Surrounded by mountains, green tiles and red bricks, gurgling water and swimming river fish.
The bamboo fence covered with morning glories formed a flower wall outside the yard, and wisps of smoke were already rising from inside.
Smelling the aroma of food in the air, Jiang Jingyun sniffed, "Looks like there's sweet and sour carp for lunch!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Muyan burst out laughing and said, "Let's go in." Qingzhu and the others came here yesterday and had already renovated the house they were going to move into in advance. They must have prepared lunch by now.
As expected, as soon as I entered the door, I saw the two brothers Qingzhu and Songhua coming out with smiles, "Masters, lunch is ready, please move to the main hall to eat."
Although there were female relatives, the three of them lived next to each other and often visited each other. Their families were familiar with each other and they did not care too much about the secular rules about men and women, so everyone sat together to eat happily.
Sure enough, on the table was the sweet and sour koi that Jiang Jingyun had been thinking about.
Looking at the cat with green eyes, Xiao Muyan smiled and picked up a piece of fish belly, carefully picked out the fish bones inside, and then put it in his bowl, "Eat it quickly."
"Songhua's cooking skills have improved again." A bite of the golden and crispy fish meat, which is tender and delicious, with a sour and sweet taste, is very appetizing.
"Really?" Su Yuheng was very sharp-eared. He immediately set his eyes on the dish of fish. He first picked up a piece for his wife, then quickly picked up a piece for himself and put it in his mouth. "Hmm, it tastes really good."
On days when I don’t have to report to work, even the food tastes much better.
"Burp, it's delicious." After a full meal, Su Yuheng hugged his round belly and said shamelessly, "Jingyun, how about you lend me Songhua for a few days? Your cooking skills are much better than mine."
"You wish." Not only does he come to his house for free meals every day, but now he wants to be the cook directly. What a big dream he is.
"Hmph, if you don't want to lend it to me, then don't lend it to me. You're so stingy." However, Su Yuheng just said that and casually mentioned the afternoon's plan, "Shall we go hunting in the mountains this afternoon?"
"Okay, watch me show off my skills." Jiang Jingyun responded.
"Tsk," Su Yuheng said with disdain. It's not that he looked down on people. Jiang Jingyun's archery skills in the official school for a few years, his arrows never touched the target, let alone now. "Can you still draw the bow now?"
Hearing this, Zhang Zhengbai couldn't help but laugh when he thought about the times they studied together and how the two of them were still noisy as always.
Seeing Zhang Zhengbai also laughing at him, Jiang Jingyun's competitive spirit suddenly rose, "Who are you looking down on? If you have the guts, come and compete to see who can catch more prey at night. Whoever loses is a puppy!"
"Okay," Su Yuheng was not afraid and accepted the bet. However, looking at the person standing next to Jiang Jingyun, he added, "You are alone, so you are not allowed to secretly call for help."
"That won't work," Jiang Jingyun refused without even thinking. Acting on impulse doesn't mean he's stupid. "We're a family, so of course we have to be counted as one."
"This is not fair!" Su Yuheng shouted loudly, and then he looked at Zhang Zhengbai, his eyes rolling, "How about we form a group of two, Zhengbai and I will be together!"
"No problem." Jiang Jingyun agreed readily. With Xiao Muyan's help, he was sure to win.
Jiang Qingrong, who was standing next to him, heard this and was eager to try. When she saw her brother looking at her, she immediately said impatiently, "I want to go too. Count me in on the bet!"
"Hmm?" Jiang Jingyun did not respond immediately, but looked at Qingzhu next to him.
Qingzhu understood and stepped forward to report, "Master, I checked in advance yesterday and found no large prey on the mountain."
"Okay, go ahead." Jiang Jingyun nodded and agreed, and instructed, "You can only move in the front mountain, and you are not allowed to go deeper."
"Yeah," the little sister agreed obediently, full of confidence, "I can beat you in the front mountain too."
It was rare for them to come out, so Jiang Jingyun didn't want to restrict her too much. He asked her with a smile, "The bet requires two people to form a team. Who will you go with?"
"Hmm..." Jiang Qingrong looked around the field hesitantly, then smiled and ran over to hold her hand and said, "Sister-in-law Su, can I be in the same group with you?"
Su Yuheng's wife is a typical Jiangnan woman, gentle, delicate and affectionate.
When she was asked, she lowered her eyes and gently stroked her belly, smiled and shook her head to refuse: "I won't go, you guys have fun."
Everyone present understood it at a glance.
Looking at Su Yuheng standing there with a silly smile on his face, Jiang Jingyun raised his eyebrows. This time he really got ahead of others. But why did Zhang Zhengbai next to him have such a weird expression?
——
In the autumn mountains, the maple leaves are like fire.
The valley was completely silent, with only the sound of falling leaves caused by the breeze.
"Swoosh", an arrow flew through the bushes and hit the target directly. The still running prey was instantly dead.
When the hunter came back with the pheasant, Jiang Jingyun was still squatting under the tree, pulling weeds and daydreaming, and he didn't even notice someone approaching.
"What are you thinking about, so absorbed in it?"
"Xiao Muyan, tell me, is Brother Zhengbai..."
"yes."
"I haven't finished asking yet, you should say," Jiang Jingyun looked up at him, frowning slightly, "Do you know what I'm going to say?"
"Um."
Jiang Jingyun was even more surprised when he heard this, "You knew?! When did it happen? Why didn't you tell me?"
"It happened last year. He probably didn't want you to know about it, so I didn't mention it."
"Oh, I see." For some reason, after knowing the answer, I always feel a sense of loss.
"Don't think too much. Brother Zhang is an open-minded person." Xiao Muyan touched his head. The kitten always liked to show off in front of acquaintances, but was surprisingly soft-hearted. "He didn't say anything, just wanted to let it go slowly."
Time will dilute all sorrow, but only I know how long it will take.
"I hope so." As a bystander, it is useless to think too much about emotional issues. He should just take care of the present.
Thinking of this, Jiang Jingyun threw away the grass stalk in his hand, looked around and found that during the time he was in a daze, Xiao Muyan had already hunted a lot of things, and they were piled up at his feet.
There were a few pheasants that he specifically requested to eat, which made his eyes sparkle and his mouth look like it was covered with honey. "Wow, Xiao Muyan, you are awesome! Love you, honey~"
Xiao Muyan smiled and leaned over, tapping his cheek with his finger, "Here, it's delivered to your door, don't just talk and do nothing."
"Humph, I won't." He approached and smacked the guy openly before pushing him away. "Go hunting quickly. If you lose, I won't let you off."
"If we win, will there be a reward in the evening?" Xiao Muyan asked.
"No." Jiang Jingyun replied firmly. He had been cheated so many times that he would not be fooled again!
Xiao Muyan was filled with regret for not being able to trick the cat into cooperating. He picked up the bow and arrow again and asked him, "There are a lot of prey here. Is there anything else you want?"
Jiang Jingyun shook his head. If it weren't for the competition with Su Yuheng, these prey would have been enough to eat. "Just take your time. One or two more will be enough. You can pick up some wild vegetables and bring them back later." On the way here, he seemed to have seen a chestnut tree. It would be nice to pick some to make pheasant soup.
Xiao Muyan nodded, "The forest is dangerous, don't walk around without permission. I'll go with you when I come back."
"Okay." Jiang Jingyun agreed. As long as he didn't ask her to bring him oranges, he would do whatever she said.
Looking at the cat who had obediently agreed to wait for him there, Xiao Muyan felt itchy and couldn't help but reach out and touch his head again. Before the cat could protest, he turned around and left, disappearing into the forest again.
【Author’s words】
1] The original text is from Fan Zhongyan's "Su Mu Zha·Nostalgia": Blue sky, yellow leaves on the ground, autumn colors on the waves, and cold green smoke on the waves. The mountains reflect the setting sun and the sky meets the water. The fragrant grass is ruthless, even beyond the setting sun. The soul is sad in the hometown, and the thoughts of travel are lingering. Unless there are good dreams every night, people can sleep. Don't stand alone on the high moonlit tower. The wine in your sad heart will turn into tears of longing.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
