Chapter 77 Ordinary Days: I only wish that every year could be like this.
Yao Ruyi's ordinary day after marriage actually began with her grandfather's deep and powerful roar.
"You brat, that's your great-grandfather's face towel! You're rubbing it on your dog paws!"
She yawned as she turned through the side gate and saw Yao Qizhao, his white beard twitching with anger, grabbing a chubby puppy by the scruff of its neck and lifting it up. The puppy's four fat legs left the ground, and it immediately became obedient, timidly tucking its tail between its legs and wagging it from side to side in a fawning manner.
Lying on the ground was Grandpa's coarse cloth with several claw marks on it.
This puppy also has a black back and yellow belly, and two small eyebrows. It was born to the family's Iron-Clad Gold and the new female dog that Lin Si Cao's family in the alley had. Yao Ru saw that this puppy was the only one in the litter that looked exactly like Iron-Clad Gold, so she "hired" it with a piece of pork belly.
The students nicknamed Tie Baojin "Dr. Jin," and Yao Qizhao named the little boy Jin Yuanbao.
Jin Yuanbao climbed onto the roof, removed tiles, gnawed on tables and chairs; his talent for destroying things was self-taught. Da Huang disdainfully taught him several times, but in the end, the good-for-nothing brat got so angry that he refused to come back to Zhixingzhai.
But the grandfather still doted on his grandson, so he had to come here every day.
Either his face towel would get ruined, or his clothes would get peed on by the dog, or the dog would snatch the meat from his bowl. In short, there was something new every day. The old man chased the dog every day, and the constant running around made his legs nimble.
Yao Ruyi was used to it. She smiled and greeted her grandfather, then went to wash up.
He opened the storefront door and carefully dusted the shelves. Uncle Cong had already served breakfast and was inviting everyone to eat.
Today we ate rice noodles, which were sent by Yueyue from Jiangxi.
In a large, rustic earthenware bowl, the bone broth was boiling, with snow-white rice noodles lying in the center, topped with thinly sliced, tender pork, smooth chunks of pork blood, and soft, powdery slices of pork liver. It was garnished with a few fragrant wild mushrooms, vibrant green seasonal vegetables, and a small pinch of flavorful pickled mustard greens. Uncle Cong then gave each person a soft-boiled egg; the yolk was half-set, trembling slightly—it tasted absolutely delicious.
Add some fried dough twists bought from outside, break them apart, dip them in the soup, and eat them. They're crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, soaking up all the broth, making them incredibly delicious. The rice noodles are smooth and chewy, and when you eat them with the savory soup, they're soothing and comforting.
Yao Ruyi, who loves spicy food, also likes to add a spoonful of spicy Sichuan peppercorn and dogwood oil. It's numbing and spicy, and every bite is fiery. Paired with fresh and fragrant vermicelli, it's smooth and tender. You slurp it until you sweat on your forehead, feeling completely refreshed.
She was slurping noodles in front of the shop window when she picked up her bowl and sat down at the small table by the window.
Outside the window, the alleyway was gradually becoming lively, with students getting up early to go to school.
After a while, Lin Wen'an also got up with Zhiheng. He was off today, and Zhiheng had urinated twice in the middle of the night, which he had quietly taken care of, so he got up a little late.
He looked tired, but his expression was gentle. Little Zhiheng rubbed her eyes, her face flushed, her hair still a little messy, and she was still sleepy.
Upon seeing his beloved great-granddaughter, Yao Qizhao immediately put down the bowl of noodles he had just eaten a few bites of, ignoring the gold ingot peeking out from the side of the bowl, eyeing the slices of meat in it.
He grinned broadly, reached out and pulled the sleepy-eyed Zhiheng into his arms, speaking to her softly, "Did our Aheng sleep well? Did you wet the bed? It's alright, it's alright! Your parents wet the bed when they were your age too. Who doesn't wet the bed? Wetting the bed is good, you shouldn't hold it in..."
The affection between the grandparents and grandchildren was so intense that Yao Ruyi's face went blank.
After Lin Wen'an finished washing up, he naturally brought over a bowl and sat down to eat with her. Although Zhiheng was not yet three years old, Yao Ruyi already felt like she was an old married couple with Lin Wen'an.
She naturally used Lin Wen'an as a backrest. Under Yao Ruyi's supervision, he had taken good care of his health for several years, and his frame was covered with a layer of well-proportioned muscles, giving it a warm elasticity and a reassuring solidity. He had also become more plump, and his cheeks had regained color, no longer that pitiful paleness.
Lin Wen'an felt her leaning against him, so he turned slightly to adjust his position, making her more comfortable, before picking up his bowl and taking a sip of hot soup. Just then, the head of an early-rising student peeked in through the window, wanting to buy breakfast.
Yao Ruyi was about to get up when he put down his bowl: "You sit down, I'll do it."
The student recognized Lord Lin and was so surprised that he was at a loss for what to do. He hurriedly wiped his hands on his clothes repeatedly before respectfully accepting the ten-copper-coin set meal. He bowed deeply through the window and said, "Lord Lin, are you well?" before slipping away as if he had been granted a pardon.
Finding the scene amusing, Yao Ruyi, with noodles still slurping in her mouth, asked indistinctly, "Why are they all so afraid of you?"
When Lin Wen'an returned after finishing this round of work, the noodles in his bowl were all clumped together, but he didn't care. He lowered his head and ate a few bites, while casually pointing to the huge, eye-catching sign for new book launches at the entrance of Zhixingzhai across the street: "New Exam Essentials on Sale, a powerful tool for the imperial examinations, not to be missed!"
Yao Ruyi looked in the direction he was pointing and couldn't help but chuckle.
Indeed, with a living devil like Lin Wen'an constantly compiling teaching materials and setting exam questions right here, which student wouldn't be afraid of him? No, they might both love and fear him, since Lin Wen'an's exam questions are very accurate. Because he served the emperor since he was young, he even knows the emperor very well. Once, he even guessed most of the questions for the palace examination.
After breakfast, Yao Ruyi went out to Zhixingzhai for a stroll, sorted out the accounts for a while, and also visited the bookstores she co-owned with Master Meng. By the time she returned, it was already afternoon.
The sun was blazing, shining brightly. Cicadas chirped their long, drawn-out calls. The courtyard was quiet, even the breeze was lazy.
The dog and Grandpa are both asleep.
The dog lay on its back in the cool shade, fast asleep, its bulging, furry belly rising and falling with each breath. It slept very soundly, snoring loudly, its eyes half-open, revealing only a little white of its eyes—a rather unsightly sight.
Fortunately, the students didn't see it in such an embarrassing state. Now, on several walls of Zhixingzhai, there are exquisite paintings of the dog by students skilled in painting. The paintings are so lifelike, down to the smallest detail.
I didn't see Cong Boren; I guess he's resting at Zhixingzhai again.
The summer heat was intense, and Yao Ruyi was already drenched in sweat after walking around the shop for half a day. She fetched well water and hot water, and asked two maids hired by the family to help mix several buckets of lukewarm water, which she then carried into the Lin family's bathhouse.
The Lin family home was also quiet. The bathroom was connected to her bedroom, separated only by a sleek sliding door. She pushed the door open and peeked inside. When Lin Wen'an saw her return, he immediately raised a long, slender finger and gently pressed it to his lips.
In his arms was Zhiheng, who was half asleep.
Yao Ruyi immediately nodded, tiptoed, and carefully closed the sliding door behind her.
If the child is woken up, then no one will be able to sleep during the middle of the day.
The water in the bathroom was already filled.
This bathroom was newly built by Yao Ruyi after their marriage, for their convenience. After all, if they did something intimate at night, like the red waves of a mandarin duck embroidered quilt, they didn't dare to speak loudly. It was good to have a place to wash themselves in advance. Otherwise, if they had to call servants to bring water, Yao Ruyi might have died again.
The bathroom was paved with exposed bricks, had a screen for hanging clothes, and a small pool in the center for soaking. Since getting this bathroom, Yao Ruyi no longer went to the perfume shop to bathe; bathing at home was comfortable and clean enough.
Grandpa Yao didn't like it, so she moved the main room in the Yao family courtyard to him, and turned his small side room into a bathroom.
But Grandpa Yao still preferred to go to the perfume shop to wash, saying that there were people there who could scrub his body, clean his face, and clean his ears, which was more comfortable than washing at home, as washing at home was more troublesome.
He and Uncle Cong were both regulars at the perfume shop, often meeting up with old friends from the alley. Carrying a small bamboo basket filled with bath soap and towels, they would chat and laugh as the group strolled leisurely towards the perfume shop. After a thorough scrubbing and a massage to relax their muscles, they would enjoy the shop's exquisite tea and snacks until they were full and warm, before strolling home with rosy cheeks.
Yao Ruyi took off her clothes, rinsed her body with warm water, and was about to soak in the pool when she heard the sliding door open softly.
"Ruyi, Aheng is asleep," Lin Wen'an said in a low voice from outside.
The water splashed loudly under her touch, but Yao Ruyi didn't hear it clearly. She turned around, her fair arm draped over the edge of the pool, her wet hair clinging to her neck, and asked in a low voice, "Hmm? What did you say?"
He had no choice but to push the door open and come in, his helplessness mixed with a hint of relief: "She's finally asleep."
Passing behind the screen, one could see his casual robe was crumpled and rumpled, with a small, suspicious wet patch on his shoulder, probably Zhiheng's drool stain. Looking closer, his hair was indeed messed up by Zhiheng. Such a handsome and elegant young man had been ravaged by his own child.
So pitiful.
"Why don't you come down for a soak and relax?" After years of marriage, Yao Ruyi was no longer shy.
In the warm water, she leaned against him, the water rippling gently. At first, it was just a snuggling, but gradually, the touch and embrace in the water subtly changed in temperature. Yao Ruyi simply turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, raised her water-drenched face, and kissed him.
They pressed themselves even closer, their breaths mingling. Their fingertips lightly traced each other's cheeks and waists, their fingers searching and seeking in the misty steam before finally intertwining.
Yao Ruyi was a little dazed from the kiss, her body limp, and she unconsciously rubbed against him like a lazy, spoiled cat.
The sound of water occasionally rang out softly, accompanied by light panting. Yao Ruyi bit her lip, bouncing up and down as if traversing a mountain road.
Water droplets splashed onto her eyebrows and eyes. She raised her hand to wipe them away, but he gently grabbed her wrist.
He lowered his head again and kissed her all over, little by little.
The water in the pool, which had been splashing and crackling, had long since cooled. In the end, the two simply clung tightly to each other. Yao Ruyi rested her head on Lin Wen'an's shoulder, her eyes closed, and a lingering tremor occasionally swept through her body.
After some time, they finally emerged from the pool. The two put on their clothes, and Yao Ruyi was carried in Lin Wen'an's arms to sleep in the side room.
The room where Zhiheng sleeps has a railing around the bed, so there's no fear that she might fall off.
Besides, there are Little White or Little Yellow guarding the bedside.
Yao Ruyi had always disliked servants attending to her closely, and she never allowed anyone to enter her inner chambers without permission. After having a child, the couple could only steal moments of tenderness between them amidst their busy schedules.
Thinking of this... At this moment, Yao Ruyi's body was enveloped in his large, clean outer robe, nestled comfortably in his arms, a feeling that made one sigh softly, "Ah..."
If I had known this would happen, I would have had the child later. Now... our perfectly legitimate marriage seems like an affair.
However… Yao Ruyi suddenly got excited again, looked up and blew into Lin Wen'an's ear, and said in a high-pitched voice, "My lord, does your wife know that you are fooling around with me like this? Will you be beaten when you get back?"
Lin Wen'an paused, looked down at her, his eyes full of helplessness, but followed her words and replied softly, "She doesn't hit people."
Yao Ruyi then shrugged her shoulders and nestled in his arms, laughing quietly.
He kissed her again.
A moment later, Yao Ruyi's slightly feverish back touched the soft bedding on the inner bed. Before the gauze curtains could fall, a figure had already covered her. She gradually lost her strength, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her body. She couldn't help but frown, raise her neck, close her eyes, and ask for a kiss, her fingertips only groping for his scattered hair.
He bent down even lower.
The snow in my heart was gently held in my hand.
With disheveled hair and trembling body, Yao Ruyi's limbs went weak. She closed her eyes tightly and babbled incoherently. At first, she could still manage to call out "My lord, my lord" in a affected manner, but then, enraged and embarrassed, she cried out "Lin Wen'an." Finally, she stopped breathing and could only mumble, "Second Uncle, Second Uncle..."
Finally, I was so tired that I felt like all my washing had been for nothing.
Finally, Lin Wen'an patiently fetched a warm towel and gently wiped her clean again. Only then, feeling refreshed, did the two of them snuggle together and drift off to sleep.
The afternoon was quiet, time seemed to stand still. A cool breeze wafted from the icicle in the corner of the room, and the bamboo mat felt chilly. Before falling asleep, Yao Ruyi habitually snuggled into his arms, her cheek rubbing against his slightly warm clothes, her voice heavy with sleep, muffled yet content: "This is so nice..."
Lin Wen'an also lowered his eyes gently.
"Um."
He asked for nothing more in this life.
I only wish that every year could be like this.
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Sorry for the wait, I recently caught the flu, so I only finished writing today [laughing and crying emoji]
Everyone, please take care of yourselves! [crying emoji]
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