Li Sanye and the others saw Cheng Duo and Young master Xie chatting happily and didn't want to interrupt, so they politely toasted each other in groups of three to avoid awkwardness.
Unexpectedly, after a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere was lively, but then they heard Yong Ge put down his chopsticks and say such a sentence.
Li Sanye inwardly cursed. Originally, Cheng Duo doted on Yong Ge, and it would have been fine if they celebrated the happy day without covering the groom's head or letting him sit alone in the new house. He, an outsider and elder, had no right to intervene.
But Yong Ge shouldn't have said such words at the banquet, relying on his husband's favor, which embarrassed Cheng Duo.
Ding Tou, who was trying to please the Xie family's steward, frowned even more. He was a typical peasant man. He had skills, formed a labor team outside, and when he returned home, he became the head of the family and made the final decisions.
Seeing Young master Xie looking embarrassed, he wanted to lecture the new groom. In his view, when men talk at the dining table, the husband should obediently serve them, and they shouldn't have a say.
However, as he was planning the wording in his mind, he was a step too slow.
It was precisely because of this slight delay that before he could speak, Cheng Duo suddenly burst into laughter and said, "My husband is right. If we don't eat the dishes soon, they'll get cold. Young master Xie, you should focus on eating, it's not good for your stomach to eat and talk at the same time."
As he spoke, he picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and fed Yong Ge a bite, then fed himself one, saying, "Don't be angry, I'm eating now, right?"
"Uh…" Yong Ge nodded, obediently picked up the chopsticks again, but even though the stewed fish was originally savory, when he put it in his mouth, it tasted sweet.
Yong Ge secretly smiled, every time he felt Cheng Duo couldn't be any better, he would use practical actions to show him that he could still be better…
Xie Yuan and the others: "…"
Xie Yuan twitched his mouth, should he be surprised or not?
When they first met, it was because of Cheng Duo, a big, tall man, who was controlled repeatedly by a little guy. Now, it seemed that his small husband's position in his heart was even higher than Xie Yuan initially estimated…
Comparing himself to Xie Yuan, Ding Tou was sweating coldly. Fortunately, he was afraid of offending Cheng Duo, so he held back the words that were on the tip of his tongue and carefully weighed them in his mouth. Otherwise, his flattery might have backfired!
Speaking of which, this Cheng master doesn't seem like someone who can't find a bride, but rather like a lonely old bachelor who just got married for the first time… This is too unconventional!
Just as he was thinking this, Young master Xie also stepped forward to mediate, "Right, right, let's eat, eat first, and chat later. Don't just drink, eat some dishes too!"
Sure enough, Ding Tou's hand shook, and the wine glass he was holding spilled half of its contents. He reluctantly put down the good wine in his hand and immersed himself in eating with the steward.
Their table was competing for dishes like they were fighting over them. While other tables were still toasting and exchanging cups, they had already finished their meal ahead of time.
After the meal, Xie Yuan finally managed to pull Cheng Duo into the main room to talk, of course, with Yong Ge by his side. Cheng Duo intentionally trained Yong Ge, so he didn't hide anything from him. If Yong Ge didn't understand, Cheng Duo would knead it open and explain it to him in detail.
However, Cheng Duo didn't want to go to Twenty li Slope right now, so even though Xie Yuan wanted to discuss cooperation, Cheng Duo still sent him away.
Jokingly, he had just gotten married, and the most important thing now was to build a good relationship with his wife. How could he bear to be away from him day and night… What's the point of keeping so many outsiders at home when they couldn't even accommodate themselves!
Of course, under Xie Yuan's coaxing, Cheng Duo still gave him a list of ingredients and arranged for Xie Yuan to come with the items fifteen days later. He would personally cook it for him and taste it before discussing further cooperation.
Xie Yuan was speechless, "Why can't you go to twenty li Slope?"
It wasn't easy for him to bring things all the way here!
Cheng Duo glanced at him, "Right now, you are the one discussing cooperation with me. Whether you want to come or not is up to you…"
Xie Yuan was exasperated, "I see, you just got married and are unwilling to move!"
"If you want to think that way, you're not entirely wrong." Cheng Duo nodded seriously. On such a hot day, he didn't want to go all the way to twenty li Slope, tiring Yong Ge.
Xie Yuan could run around more, after all, there were many servants in his house, and others could take care of things.
Yong Ge listened with a flushed face, and he couldn't stop smiling as Xie Yuan lost the argument. Although Cheng Duo seemed to have a penchant for teasing people, who asked him to help relatives but not others? So even if Xie Yuan tried to instigate Cheng Duo and then tried to persuade Yong Ge, he firmly refused to go.
"You guys think there's nothing good about that little village. I invite you to play there, and you don't want to go!" Xie Yuan was so annoyed. Cheng Duo didn't want to go, which was understandable, but Yong Ge, despite him offering to let them stay in the estate and use everything without charge, this stingy guy still refused!
Little did Xie Yuan know that although Yong Ge was stingy, he wasn't someone who took advantage. Besides, even if he took advantage, it would be Cheng Duo who repaid on his behalf. In his heart, nothing could compare to Cheng Duo's importance, so how could Xie Yuan's enticement move him?
Helpless, Xie Yuan could only coax with another bottle of wine and leave a box of silver behind, full of regret as he departed. Since he started getting involved in the Xie family business, he considered himself a smooth talker with a silver tongue, but it was the first time he failed to sway someone. And he encountered two such people in a row!
Indeed, they were not the same family, so they couldn't enter the same door!
Xie Yuan was the first to leave, and Ding Tou naturally bid farewell with his people. After that, the remaining Li Sanye, Third Madam, Aunt Qian, and other villagers helped Cheng Duo clean up the tables and chairs before leaving too.
In the spacious courtyard, only Cheng Duo, Yong Ge, and the lingering aroma of food and wine remained. Yong Ge glanced at the sun, which had not yet set, and listened to the crickets chirping early and hiding in the grass, feeling very uncomfortable.
What should he do? He almost didn't dare to talk to Cheng Duo anymore…
Cheng Duo also felt a bit awkward, but he quickly found a topic, "Third Madam left hot water on the stove, go wash up first, and I'll show you something after you're done."
"Oh…" Yong Ge didn't dare to ask what it was and fetched a bucket of hot water, adding some cold water before heading to the outhouse next to Cheng Duo's house. After washing up, he diligently fetched another bucket of water and then called Cheng Duo in.
Looking at the clothes Yong Ge took out, even though Cheng Duo's own self-sewn, ugly underwear was hidden inside, he still saw a corner.
Yong Ge also seemed to notice, Yong Ge's already rosy cheeks now resembled ripe red apples: "Um… Just make do with these clothes for now, and I'll find time to make a few more for you."
He had already guessed that the two pairs of inner pants in the wardrobe were sewn by Cheng Duo himself, probably because he was embarrassed to ask for help. He knew it all along, but he wouldn't have helped him sew them even if he knew!
Yong Ge was clearly nervous to the point of breathlessness. Cheng Duo didn't dare to tease him and nodded calmly, "I happen to have bought two pieces of breathable fabric. You can make a few more when the time comes, and we'll both change into them."
Having a wife was indeed a good thing. He would never have to secretly mend his underwear under the oil lamp again!
Cheng Duo came out of the bathroom, casually draping his outer robe over himself due to the hot weather, without fastening it. Both he and Yong Ge were wearing ready-made clothes he had bought in twenty li Slope last time – stone blue color with ink vine patterns, which was clearly a matching set.
Cheng Duo moved the box that Xie Yuan left to the square table in the bedroom and motioned for Yong Ge to take a look. Under the swaying oil lamp, as soon as Yong Ge peeked inside, he was dazzled by the silver: "This… Is Xie Yuan giving the wrong amount? How much is this, so many taels?!"
"That's right, I sold those wines for two thousand taels per bottle." Yong Ge took a sharp breath, "Two thousand taels?"
"Yes." Cheng Duo said, taking out his own silver storage box from the space. "I sold two bottles before and also sold two glass jars. Our family's money is all here. Apart from over one thousand eight hundred taels of silver, there are also two hundred taels of gold, and if you count the silver bills, there are also one thousand six hundred taels. Um, let's find a chance to exchange these silver bills for gold and silver, it's safer that way."
As Cheng Duo mentioned "one thousand eight hundred taels of silver here, two hundred taels of gold there," Yong Ge's head spun, and he swayed a bit. Just as he was about to reach out and steady himself on the table, Cheng Duo scooped him into his arms.
"Be careful."
Yong Ge felt his legs going weak and leaned against Cheng Duo's body. "You should put away the silver quickly; I'm feeling a bit flustered."
Aside from feeling flustered, he was also quite fearful, his heart pounding erratically. One moment he thought of the Niujia Village massacre by the Lord Niu, and the next moment, he remembered the bandits who hadn't come to rob them in a long time… Nothing was as surprising as Cheng Duo had imagined.
Cheng Duo put away the silver and finally understood what Yong Ge was thinking. He couldn't help but laugh and cry, "You forgot what I used to do in the past? A dozen or twenty bandits can't move a hair on me. And I have the space; if they want to rob me, I can rob them back."
Yong Ge also thought about it, and the feeling of panic eased slightly. He grabbed Cheng Duo's hand and said, "This silver is enough for us for several lifetimes. Let's not sell the remaining wine, okay?"
"Alright, we won't sell it; we'll keep it as a family heirloom for our son." Cheng Duo readily agreed. What he didn't tell Yong Ge was that even if they didn't sell anything from the space, the silver would only increase.
Yong Ge realized something and blushed suddenly, "What son? There's no… no sign of it yet."
"Since that's the case, let's give him a nose and eyes." Cheng Duo extended his large hand towards Yong Ge's waist and lifted him up, turning and placing him on the wedding bed.
Contrary to Cheng Duo's expectations, Yong Ge, who was usually very cooperative, pushed him away today. Cheng Duo caught the hand on his chest and asked, "What's wrong?"
Could it be that he's afraid? He hasn't even started yet!
Yong Ge stammered, "You let me get down, I'll get a book…"
"What book?" Cheng Duo was taken aback for a moment, then realized that there might be something similar among the items he had just bought. He was about to straighten up and get it from the cabinet when Yong Ge slipped out from under his arm.
Cheng Duo looked at him amusedly but didn't rush him. He just said in a consultative tone, "Shall we have the wedding wine first?"
"Okay." Yong Ge nodded. He heard that alcohol could strengthen courage, and drinking some should alleviate his fear.
Cheng Duo poured a cup and handed it to Yong Ge. Since he was much taller than Yong Ge, in order to cooperate with his wife, he had to bend down awkwardly to drink the cup of wedding wine.
Yong Ge had hardly drunk any alcohol before, especially not this strong white wine. He gulped it down like water, and the spiciness made him stick out his tongue. "So spicy—"
Before he could say anything else, Cheng Duo blocked his mouth with his…
(T/N: Again with the disappointment it hits… ಥ_ಥ)
To be fair, Cheng Duo was very satisfied with their wedding night, but when it came to the real action, a slightly drunk Yong Ge insisted on trying the first pose from the illustrated book.
Cheng Duo had no choice but to reason with him, "Yong Ge, it's our first time, and this difficult pose might hurt you…"
"No, the book depicts it this way, and we must follow it!" Yong Ge stubbornly insisted, his cheeks flushed. When he saw Cheng Duo's disagreement, his slightly tipsy eyes looked like they were about to cry.
Cheng Duo was both amused and amazed. How come he didn't know that Yong Ge was so bold?
Thankfully, he had foreseen this and bought some ointment, so it shouldn't be a big problem…
Initially, Cheng Duo thought Yong Ge might be like this because he was drunk, but during their second round, when Yong Ge was already sober, he struggled to flip to the second page…
Cheng Duo: "…" With his waist twisted like that, would Yong Ge's waist be okay tomorrow morning?
Nevertheless, his wife was so enthusiastic and cooperative, so Cheng Duo wiped his face, determined to accompany his spouse even if it meant risking his life!
The next day, Cheng Duo woke up as usual, and before he got up, he felt a weight on one side of his body. He glanced down and saw that Yong Ge was tightly hugging his arm, burying almost half of his face, sleeping soundly.
The earthen house had a warming effect in winter and cooling effect in summer, especially in the morning when the sun had just risen, and the temperature inside the room was not too high. However, it didn't mean that two people squeezed together wouldn't feel hot. Yong Ge was clearly sweating profusely, and he still clung to Cheng Duo's arm as if afraid that he might leave…
Cheng Duo couldn't help but chuckle and picked up a piece of clothing to wipe the sweat off Yong Ge's face. Then he carefully moved his arm away and got out of bed.
To avoid waking Yong Ge, he pulled the gray cloth bed curtain together, leaving only a small gap for air circulation.
Cheng Duo went outside and fetched a bucket of water from a small pool to take a cold bath. After that, he entered the kitchen.
There were some leftovers from yesterday's dinner in the kitchen, but Cheng Duo didn't touch them. Instead, he started a new pot and cooked a pot of lean meat porridge.
When the porridge was almost ready, he went to the field and picked two vegetables, chopped them, and added them to the porridge. Then he went back to the room to call Yong Ge.
"Yong Ge, wake up and have breakfast. After eating, you can go back to sleep." Cheng Duo gently tapped the person under the thin blanket.
Yong Ge's long eyelashes twitched, but he didn't open his eyes. Instead, he frowned and made intermittent pleas from his throat, "Cheng Duo, I'm so sleepy… Can we do it tomorrow… tomorrow…"
Cheng Duo: "…" He had only done it twice, and Yong Ge was already this tired. It seemed that the book had misled him.
Of course, Cheng Duo was quite happy about it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have "forgotten" to enlighten Yong Ge with the truth after their second round when Yong Ge was already sober…
Yong Ge subconsciously reached out and clung to Cheng Duo. However, he ended up holding onto thin air, and this action made him inadvertently move his waist and thighs that had been tense the whole night. His face twisted in pain, and he groaned, "Hmm…"
Cheng Duo found it both amusing and heart-wrenching. "Don't move; let me massage you."
Yong Ge was already awakened by the pain, and he felt the movements of the large hand on his waist. His blushing face stiffened, but the sensation of that hand relieving the sore muscles was too overwhelming. He gritted his teeth and endured for a while but couldn't help but whimper under the blanket.
His exposed neck outside the blanket was fair, tinged with a light blush, his beautiful eyebrows tightly furrowed, and it seemed like tears were gathering under his trembling eyelashes.
Cheng Duo admired the sight of his young wife, listening to the slightly painful but also pleasurable moans. His hand continued to knead the tender and flexible muscles… His nose itched, and a hot stream rushed downward.
This was dangerous…
Fortunately, Cheng Duo still had his wits about him and knew that Yong Ge was in no condition to do anything right now. He cleared his throat and increased the speed of the massage, quickly stopping his actions.
Yong Ge's moans ceased when Cheng Duo coughed. He endured the relief and embarrassment in his heart, and with a blush, he quickly got up and put on his clothes. "Cheng Duo… um, Husband, why didn't you wake me up when you got up?"
He felt that he shouldn't have let his husband go to the kitchen to cook breakfast on their first day of marriage. If his father knew about this, he would surely scold him.
Cheng Duo was taken aback, "You can call me Cheng Duo, it sounds better."
"Okay." Yong Ge had no objections. In their village, they called the head of the family "father" and their child's father "husband," but the use of "Husband" sounded a bit awkward for him.
"Cheng Duo, why didn't you wake me up? Cooking is my job. How can I let you do it?" Yong Ge was anxious, thinking that he should take care of things for Cheng Duo and not burden him with household chores.
Moreover, Cheng Ge had already been good to him. If he couldn't even handle basic housework and had to be taken care of by the other, what face would he have left in this family?
"Why can't I? What if I get sick and don't want to chop wood or hunt? Will you do it for me?" Cheng Duo asked, raising an eyebrow.
Yong Ge opened his mouth but couldn't find a response. "That… That's different."
"How is it different?"
"A man is the pillar of the family. The wife should take care of him," Yong Ge said shyly.
Cheng Duo knew that Yong Ge's ideas had been influenced by others and could only slowly change them. Therefore, he gave up reasoning and resorted to acting shameless, "Then I want you to take care of me in bed, just like last night. If you do everything and tire yourself out, unable to move when you lie down, I won't be happy."
Yong Ge blushed even more, "It's broad daylight, why are you suddenly talking about this…"
Cheng Duo's face also felt hot, "Alright, I won't mention it again. Get up quickly; the porridge will cool down soon."
He looked around and found Yong Ge's pants. He was about to pick them up when, in the next moment, the person on the bed suddenly pounced on him and tightly embraced his waist.
"Yong Ge…" Cheng Duo was taken aback.
Yong Ge felt comforted; he might be stubborn, but he wasn't foolish. He realized that Cheng Duo was doing all this for his sake.
"Cheng Duo," Yong Ge bit his lip, struggling to think of what he could do for Cheng Duo. After a moment, he blushed and said shyly, "If you want, we can do it in broad daylight too…"
He would make an effort to make Cheng Duo happy!
Cheng Duo's heart skipped a beat; his wife took the initiative to invite him, and he knew it wasn't just empty words!
He really wanted to go along with it and push Yong Ge back to the bed, but he remembered that Yong Ge was injured last night, and Cheng Duo himself had applied the ointment…
With a sigh of regret, Cheng Duo replied honestly, "I want to as well, but you're injured. Let's have breakfast first, and after we eat, I'll apply some more ointment for you."
"Oh…" Yong Ge lowered his head in disappointment, remembering the semi-conscious state from last night when his husband had bathed him. He also recalled feeling a bit chilly afterward, but because he felt so comfortable, he quickly fell asleep.
Yong Ge was even more disappointed than Cheng Duo. Cheng Duo stifled a smile, finding his wife incredibly adorable. Well, maybe he shouldn't explain the purpose of that book…
Anyway, there are a total of eighteen moves. He really wants to know how Yong Ge will behave after using them.
Due to this incident, when the husband and wife had breakfast, one was shy, and the other was joyful. In the early morning, there were ambiguous pink bubbles in the air.
After eating, Yong Ge insisted that he was fine and rushed to do the dishes.
Cheng Duo didn't argue with him and stood at the sink to wash the dishes without bending over. Compared to this, it was better for him to wash the clothes…
Cheng Duo was washing the festive clothes they wore yesterday. These clothes had a red base with dark patterns and were suitable for everyday wear. Moreover, since Yong Ge personally tailored them, they were better than the ready-made ones Cheng Duo bought in twenty li slope. They could be considered the best clothes in his wardrobe.
Of course, the same was true for Yong Ge; neither of them had many good clothes.
Yong Ge finished washing the dishes and saw Cheng Duo washing clothes. As expected, he wanted to take over. This time Cheng Duo didn't let him and only allowed him to watch from the side…
But Yong Ge couldn't stay idle. He remembered the little chicks he had sent earlier and quickly let them out of the cage, rushing them to the vegetable patch to find insects to eat.
It wasn't that Yong Ge didn't care about the vegetables, but nowadays, they didn't use pesticides, and there were more bugs in the vegetable patch than actual vegetables. It didn't make sense for the chicks to have meat and not eat it, preferring to eat greens…
(T/N: Suggesting that the chicks should eat insects rather than seeds or something when the alternative is available.)
After releasing the chicks, Yong Ge saw the horses in the stable and asked Cheng Duo about them. Then he came back and poured half a basket of green grass and a basket of dried soybeans into the feed trough.
Cheng Duo was utterly helpless. After finishing washing the clothes, he quickly called Yong Ge back, applied the medicine to him, and coaxed him to sleep.
"I'm not sleepy…" Yong Ge said he wasn't sleepy, but after lying on the bed for a while, his eyelids began to fight each other.
Cheng Duo knew that they had only slept in the latter half of the night yesterday and got up early in the morning. It was strange that he wasn't sleepy!
Cheng Duo himself felt quite energetic. He went to the back of the house to look at the piece of land he had just bought. He originally planned to build the brick and tile workshop near their house, but now it seemed that the land was still too small.
He had already built the stable and woodshed and needed to expand the courtyard. The brick and tile workshop not only required a kiln and warehouse but also needed a study and a place for workers to rest… With people coming and going, he didn't want to have no peace when he went home in the future.
Cheng Duo used a wooden stick to draw lines and plan on the ground for a while, feeling that it was almost enough, and then returned to the room to take a nap with Yong Ge.
They didn't go out in the afternoon either. After eating, Cheng Duo found a copy of the Three Character Classics and taught Yong Ge how to read.
Since Yong Ge was just starting to learn, Cheng Duo didn't prepare paper and ink and just used a sand tray. He and Yong Ge copied the Three Character Classics together.
Yong Ge took this seriously. Cheng Duo had told him about many plans for the future, and sometimes he couldn't even understand them, let alone help him?
Yong Ge had always been very self-conscious. He felt unworthy of Cheng Duo. Cheng Duo was so capable, he knew everything, and he could even discuss business with Young Master Xie. As for himself, he had no family background, no dowry, and couldn't do anything…
In order to be a good wife, Yong Ge was very devout in learning characters, making Cheng Duo feel embarrassed about teasing him with any romantic activities in the study.
Did Yong Ge always love to study like this at home? How could Cheng Duo dare to do any sneaky things in this environment!
To maintain the study atmosphere, Cheng Duo endured teaching Yong Ge twenty characters and refused to teach more: "Alright, let's learn only these today. Learning too much might make you forget."
Yong Ge also felt that he had reached his limit. Even with these twenty characters, his head was starting to feel heavy and swollen.
Cheng Duo was afraid of straining his eyes. Since the sun wasn't scorching anymore, he used the excuse of delivering vegetables to take Yong Ge out for a walk.
On the country paths of summer, cicadas chirped continuously, and ripe wheat hung heavily on the branches, swaying gently with the warm breeze, bringing the scent of a bountiful harvest.
Cheng Duo and Yong Ge each held a bamboo basket containing the leftover meat and vegetables from yesterday's feast. Although the dishes were clean and could be stored in the space for a while, everyone saw how much was left yesterday. Besides, Third Madam Li and others had helped a lot, so it wouldn't be fair not to share some with them.
Cheng Duo was too busy yesterday, and they forgot to mention it when they left. It was Yong Ge who brought it up during lunch, reminding him to give Li San Ye, Aunt Qian, and Shanzi's family a share.
Oh, how can I accept…?" Third Madam said hesitantly while secretly glancing at the basket of meat and feeling reluctant to look away. Her two children behind her were also looking expectantly, still savoring the delicious fatty meat they had at the banquet yesterday.
"Third Madam, please accept it. There's so much leftover food, and we can't finish it all. Besides, we have to give some to Aunt Qian and Shanzi's families as well. Look, I'm still holding the basket," Yong Ge said with a smile, looking completely different from before.
Hearing that the other families also received some, Third Madam couldn't refuse anymore. However, Cheng Duo and Yong Ge gave her two large bowls of meat, and she felt guilty about it. So, using the excuse of changing the basket, she called Yong Ge inside and gave him the homemade tofu.
This tofu was made by letting tofu pieces naturally ferment on wheat straws, then coating them with wine and salt. If someone preferred a spicier taste, they would sprinkle chili powder on it and wrap it in clean vegetable leaves.
Tofu eaten in summer was spicy and refreshing, and since the tofu from the tofu workshop wasn't expensive, Yong Ge couldn't refuse.
As Third Madam grabbed the tofu, she casually asked how Yong Ge was doing in Cheng Duo's house. Since Yong Ge's father wasn't around, they were the closest elders, and it was reasonable to inquire about him.
Yong Ge blushed when asked, "Third Madam, please don't ask. Cheng Ge treats me very well."
Jianqiang Sister-in-law, who was eavesdropping nearby, couldn't help but interrupt, "How is he in bed? Is he as powerful as when he fights? Did you find it too much to handle?"
"Yeah, he's so tall and big; I thought he might have broken you apart!" Second Sister-in-law Niu also scrutinized Yong Ge, wondering what he was thinking inside.
"No, Cheng Ge takes good care of me. I, I couldn't get up in the morning, and Cheng Ge let me rest and even applied medicine to me…" Yong Ge stammered in explanation. He was afraid that if he didn't speak up, rumors about him not being able to satisfy his husband would spread throughout the village.
It wasn't because the sisters-in-law were gossipy; it was just that the village women were all like this. They loved to pry into other people's private affairs, and it was better to just speak up instead of hiding anything.
Both Jianqiang Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law Niu wore teasing expressions, seemingly satisfied with the answers. Second Sister-in-law Niu joked, "No wonder you two only came out now…"
Yong Ge grabbed the basket and almost fled.
When he came out of the house, Cheng Duo and Uncle Li had just finished their conversation. Cheng Duo took Yong Ge to the next house while asking, "What happened? Why is your face so red? Is it too hot?"
He rolled up his sleeves and wiped Yong Ge's face. Yong Ge obediently stood there, letting his husband wipe his face. Although his face was clean and there was no sweat, as soon as Cheng Ge showed concern, he couldn't help but want to get closer to him.
Cheng Duo asked, "What did Third Madam give you?"
This question was easy to answer. Yong Ge said with some anticipation, "Tofu, do you like it? Third Madam's tofu is delicious. I even tried stewing meat with it, and it came out really fragrant!"
Cheng Duo gently scraped Yong Ge's cheek with his finger and said, "I like it. As long as you make it, it must be delicious."
Yong Ge's eyes widened suddenly. On one hand, he was happy to receive Cheng Ge's praise without hesitation, and on the other hand, he was afraid of being seen by others. His sapphire eyes rolled around like a mischievous and cute thief.
Cheng Duo chuckled, "Rest assured…"
He was about to say that he would be careful that there was no one around, but he suddenly heard rustling sounds from behind a certain earthen wall.
"…" Cheng Duo's expression changed abruptly, and he said with a commanding tone, "Who's there? Come out!"
His stern attitude seemed like he would rush over to drag the person out and give them a beating in the next second.
Liu Shusheng came out from behind the wall in a secretive manner, nervously saying, "Don't beat me. I came out… I didn't intentionally peep; I was just passing by…"
Although he also had feelings for Yong Ge, the little brother was already married, and as a scholarly person, he still understood the principles of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame. Meeting Yong Ge, he couldn't help but avoid any suspicious behavior. However, he couldn't help but feel a little regretful when he thought that Yong Ge had married a reckless brute. But today, he unintentionally ran into them privately, which shocked him greatly.
These two people were completely different from what he had imagined!
He had always thought that the stern hunters were fierce and just like the other village men, lacking tenderness and consideration for women. But Cheng Duo was different; he was considerate and would never scold or abuse his husband.
As it turned out, the hunter doted on Yong Ge even more than he had imagined. He was gentle and attentive, and Yong Ge was not afraid of him at all.
Liu Shusheng suddenly felt that he had lost completely, not just for Yong Ge but also because his pride had been shattered. Previously, when he heard about Yong Ge's engagement with the hunter, he could still persuade himself that the hunter was wealthy, and marrying him would mean eating meat every day and having occasional feasts without any problem.
Liu Shusheng's family was extremely poor, and his only reliance was his knowledge and his unique understanding and sensitivity compared to the other village men. Of course, this was his self-proclaimed distinction, but he was so poor that he couldn't even afford to marry a wife. He often fantasized about love affairs while reading books, imagining romantic entanglements and passionate relationships.
But now, both of his self-proclaimed traits had been crushed by Cheng Duo. No wonder he was so shocked.
In simpler terms, Liu Shusheng always believed that he was special. Now that he encountered Cheng Duo, who was also educated, gentle, and considerate to his wife, and on top of that, more capable and wealthier than him…
Liu Shusheng walked away feeling disoriented.
Cheng Duo and Yong Ge didn't pay any attention to him. They continued with their plan and went to the next house, Aunt Qian's place. Yong Ge was naturally dragged into the house and teased for a while, so Cheng Duo felt a bit bored. Aunt Qian's three sons didn't dare to talk to him.
Lastly, they went to Shanzi's house. Zhao Shugen had already left with Ding Tou, and Shanzi and his four younger siblings received two large bowls of meat, making them very happy. Especially his two younger sisters and brother, they directly chased Shanzi, who was carrying the bowls, into the kitchen.
Before, when Zhao Shugen attended the wedding, he only brought Shanzi and his brother, He Wazi. Although the two elder brothers secretly brought some food back for their younger siblings, they were afraid of upsetting Cheng Duo and didn't dare to bring much. The things they brought back were only for the younger siblings to taste.
Cheng Duo looked at the empty and impoverished state of Shanzi's house and the pitiful looks of the children. He thought that when his brick workshop opened, he would prioritize hiring Shanzi and his elder brother to help.
Shanzi is eleven years old, and his brother, He Wazi, is almost ten, which means they are fully capable of doing simple tasks like tanning clay and removing molds.
Cheng Duo, having come from the apocalypse, had no problem with having children help with labor. Besides, he had witnessed countless situations of "gratitude for help, resentment for rivalry" in the apocalypse, so he would never give money to someone for no reason.
Yong Ge didn't say anything because he had been living like this even before Cheng Duo came into his life. He never felt entitled to demand financial support from his husband just because they were now married and had some money. After all, Shanzi's family not only owned land but also had their father to support them.
Of course, if Shanzi asked for help, Yong Ge would willingly lend a hand.
That night, when they returned home, Cheng Duo didn't make any advances towards Yong Ge. They lay in bed, covered with blankets, and chatted. Cheng Duo shared his plans for the uncultivated land he bought from Li San Ye at the mountain pass. He intended to build a brick and tile workshop there and added, "Let's go and buy some wooden molds in a few days. We'll also need to purchase some iron tools like mud scrapers and hammers."
Hearing this, Yong Ge looked a bit worried and asked, "Our village is a bit remote. Will we be able to sell the bricks and tiles we produce?"
Cheng Duo looked at him and patiently explained, "Yong Ge, we will ask the villagers for help, and we'll definitely have to pay them for their labor. Moreover, producing bricks and tiles requires a large amount of wood, and the villagers can also earn money by selling the wood to us. Over time, they will have some extra money, and when they see our spacious and comfortable brick houses, some people will be willing to spend money to buy them for building houses."
"People often have a tendency to compare and compete. In our time, some even borrowed money to buy houses, willing to carry debt for years…"
This is an economic effect, where money circulation promotes development. However, Cheng Duo didn't mention that even if they can't make it work in the end, it doesn't matter, as his initial purpose was to build a house for himself.
Yong Ge listened, somewhat understanding but still curious about Cheng Duo's world, so he wanted to hear more from him. Cheng Duo complied and chose to share interesting things, avoiding scary topics. Yong Ge became more and more engaged, and eventually, Cheng Duo hugged him, and Yong Ge fell asleep.
After enjoying their sweet honeymoon for about ten days, Cheng Duo introduced one or two new positions every night. Yong Ge took it seriously and didn't complain. But one day, after returning from Aunt Qian's place, Yong Ge blushed and hesitantly asked Cheng Duo, "Cheng Ge, do we have to follow that book exactly?"
Cheng Duo tried to hold back his laughter and said, "No, didn't I tell you on our wedding night?"
Yong Ge seemed puzzled, "Tell me? I don't remember…"
"It's probably because you were drunk. Remember? You got drunk after the toasting that night," Cheng Duo tried to find a reason.
Yong Ge hesitated and nodded, but then he realized, "But why didn't you remind me after that? I was sober every other time!" The thought of how he had willingly taken up those embarrassing positions made him blush even more.
"I thought you liked it," Cheng Duo said, pretending to understand.
He wanted to be a good husband, so he had to cater to his wife's special preferences.
"No, I… I don't like it!" Yong Ge blushed and covered his face, feeling embarrassed. He couldn't imagine how he appeared in Cheng Duo's eyes, probably associated with "bold" or "not reserved."
"Oh, you don't like it?" Cheng Duo approached Yong Ge, whose face was full of embarrassment, as if talking to himself or discussing with his wife, "Then what should we do? I find it quite comfortable. I thought you liked it too."
Yong Ge suddenly raised his head, eyes almost watery, not because he was about to cry, but out of embarrassment and anger. Because his husband was right, he did find it quite comfortable, especially after they became more intimate and in sync with each other…
Cheng Duo became curious, "Why did you suddenly think of asking this? Is it because… the illustrations are running out?"
Yong Ge finally exploded, feeling upset. "You knew all along, you did it on purpose!"
Cheng Duo finally managed to tease his wife, but luckily, Yong Ge was easy to appease. A few sweet words, and he didn't want to punch him anymore. Of course, even if Yong Ge's strength was insignificant to Cheng Duo, he still didn't want to use force.
To distract Yong Ge, Cheng Duo suddenly suggested, "Yong Ge, how about we go on a treasure hunt?"
The village had already agreed to the idea of buying the uncultivated land in the mountain hollow. Cheng Duo gave some extra money, and Li San Ye agreed to handle it in a few days.
Since they would be busy with the brick and tile workshop soon, and Xie Yuan was also coming, Cheng Duo thought it would be a good time to set off on a treasure hunt.
Cheng Duo had actually been considering entering that underground palace for a while, but he had been busy preparing for his marriage and couldn't spare the time.
(T/N: He is talking about the place where they were stuck whilst escaping from wolves.)
Now that the wedding was over, and he had his wife with him, he had the idea of going into the mountains again.
Cheng Duo didn't want to delay until autumn or winter when the fields would be busy, and the cold mountain winds would be bone-chilling, and the wild beasts more ferocious than usual.
Besides, with Yong Ge accompanying him, they could have treated it as a honeymoon trip in the summer, but in the cold weather, it would be pure suffering.
Fortunately, he had stored a lot of food in his space in preparation for his wedding. After a simple discussion with Yong Ge, they steamed two large pots of steamed buns and cooked several dishes to keep in the space. If they couldn't make a fire later, they would have something to eat.
Before departing, Yong Ge thought about the horses and chickens at home, so he went to Shanzi's house and asked him to take care of them.
Shanzi looked enviously at Yong Ge, wearing imposing leather wrist guards and belts, carrying an ironwood longbow on his back. He wanted to volunteer, but they were going to explore the underground palace, and the dangers were uncertain. Moreover, Cheng Duo's space couldn't be exposed, so Yong Ge could only promise Shanzi that if he caught a wild chicken or rabbit, he could have one, and Shanzi reluctantly agreed.
Unlike the last time they fled in a sorry state, this time, as they entered the mountains, Yong Ge felt a sense of familiarity. Passing by the pond where they camped last time, he recognized it and said, "So, it's not far from the village. Last time, it took us three hours to get here!"
Cheng Duo laughed and explained that last time, he had to be supported by Yong Ge, which made the journey three times longer.
This time, they traveled light and reached the entrance of the underground palace before sunset. Cheng Duo even took the time to teach Yong Ge how to hunt a wild goose.
So their dinner became the roasted wild goose, its skin and feathers peeled, cooked over the fire until golden, and beside the lively and bustling fire, against the gradually dimming night, there was a sense of joyful contentment.
After a while, Cheng Duo took out a clean wooden basin, poured half a bucket of water into it, and called Yong Ge over, saying, "Come and wash your hands and face."
Yong Ge obediently came over, although his face was covered in sweat from the fire, his eyes were especially bright. Cheng Duo couldn't help but kiss him on the lips and asked, "Are you this happy?"
"Yes!"
Yong Ge didn't know why, even though it wasn't the first time spending the night outside with Cheng Duo, this time, he felt particularly excited.
Cheng Duo knew why. This time, they were married, Yong Ge had no more restraints, and he had always been taught to be an obedient and well-behaved little brother. So he rarely spent the night outside.
It was like a little child who had never spent the night outside, suddenly experiencing a night under the open sky.
After they finished their meal and protected themselves from mosquitoes with wormwood, Yong Ge lay down to rest with Cheng Duo. The sleeping mat was just enough for the two of them, and after a while, Yong Ge felt something hard, "Cheng, Cheng Duo… If you want, I can…"
Even though the night sky was above them, and there was no cover, it was deep in the mountains late at night, so no one should come, right?
Coughing slightly, Cheng Duo said, a bit embarrassed, "It's fine, just go to sleep." He had considered today's long journey and hadn't touched Yong Ge last night. They were newlyweds, and he didn't want to be too hasty.
But this time, Yong Ge didn't obediently listen; he moved to sit up.
Cheng Duo held him down, saying, "Be good, go to sleep."
Yong Ge couldn't move and simply leaned in to kiss him. At first, it was too dark to see, and he only kissed his chin, but gradually, he moved to his lips…
Cheng Duo had no choice but to kiss his wife for a while, then moved slightly away. His Adam's apple moved, and in a muffled voice in the dark night, he asked, "Aren't you tired?"
"Not tired."
It's been a whole day of walking; of course, they're tired. But in this situation, if they don't do something, Yong Ge won't be able to sleep.
Cheng Duo held Yong Ge's hand and continued down the path…
The next day, the two of them woke up feeling refreshed and prepared themselves. Holding torches, they descended into the underground palace through the passageway on the ground.
It was still the same place, and even the two stone statues at the entrance of the underground palace had not changed.
Cheng Duo studied the tightly closed stone door for a while and discovered a stone disc on the door. The positions on the disc seemed to correspond to the Chinese zodiac, and there was a hole in the center, probably where a key should be inserted.
Yong Ge also noticed it, "We don't have the key. How do we get in?"
He thought about searching around to see if there was another entrance.
But Cheng Duo didn't want to bother with that. He handed the torch to Yong Ge and asked him to stand back. Then, he stood in front of the five to six meters high stone door and pushed with all his strength.
Cheng Duo estimated that each of the two stone doors weighed at least a thousand kilograms, and with the mechanism locking them, it would take at least two thousand kilograms of force to open them.
Fortunately, Cheng Duo had superhuman strength due to his ability. As he activated his crystal nucleus, his strength gradually increased, and fragments of the stone door fell to the ground.
This stone door was the heaviest thing Cheng Duo had encountered since coming to this world. His face turned red as he exerted his strength and with a loud shout, the stone door finally made a cracking sound.
Suddenly, something behind the door shone with the light of Yong Ge's torch. Cheng Duo was prepared and quickly rolled to avoid the incoming arrow rain attack.
"Clang clang clang!" Numerous metal arrowheads densely pierced into the ground in front of the door. If it had been a group of people opening the door, they would have been pierced like hedgehogs.
"Cheng Duo, are you okay?" Yong Ge was worried and rushed over after the arrow rain stopped, afraid of disturbing Cheng Duo.
"I'm fine," Cheng Duo waved his hand, pulled out an iron arrow, and found that it was shimmering with a green light, indicating that it was poisoned.
He quickly warned Yong Ge, "Be careful, don't touch these arrows; they might be poisonous."
Yong Ge quickly agreed, but he noticed that the arrowheads were poisonous, not the arrow shafts, so they plucked out the arrowheads and cleared the arrows from the ground.
Cheng Duo could tell that this underground tomb was not simple. So he discussed with Yong Ge, suggesting that he should go down alone, and Yong Ge should wait for him above.
However, Yong Ge would never agree to that. He said they should go down together, in case he couldn't wait and decided to go in to find him.
Yong Ge was not an impatient person, but Cheng Duo knew he was expressing that he wouldn't survive alone if something happened to him.
That made sense; Yong Ge even jumped off a cliff with him, facing certain death. Why would he be afraid of a mere underground palace?
"Okay, let's go in together," Cheng Duo nodded. They had come this far, and it didn't make sense to be scared off by a small arrow formation. That wouldn't be his style.
But soon, Cheng Duo realized he had overthought it. The mechanisms in this underground tomb were quite tricky for people from ancient times. For someone who had seen and experienced many things like a modern person, it was similar to a decryption game—
For example, there was a row of neatly arranged floor tiles ahead, and one of them was cracked on all sides, which made it stand out from the others. Cheng Duo was sure that stepping on that floor tile would be a bad idea.
To be cautious, Cheng Duo and Yong Ge still stood far away from each other, with Yong Ge shooting an arrow at that floor tile.
Lately, Yong Ge's archery skills had improved significantly, and as the arrow hit the tile, it sank, causing a yellow powder to shower down from above the passage.
The powder landed right within a two-meter radius of the tile, and if they were standing there, they would have been covered in it.
Cheng Duo quickly covered his mouth and nose, signaling Yong Ge to do the same and leading him to step back. Before they could figure out what the yellow powder was, rustling sounds emerged from all directions.
"Oh no, it's snakes!" Yong Ge's expression changed, and Cheng Duo also looked uneasy. A single snake wouldn't bother them, but this commotion indicated a large group of snakes!
However, it was too late to retreat now, so Cheng Duo had to place the torch behind him, take out his iron spear, and stand guard with Yong Ge.
The first black snake emerged, but Yong Ge swiftly shot it through with an arrow. Unfortunately, more snakes appeared, one after another.
A multitude of snakes appeared before their eyes. Cheng Duo and Yong Ge killed many of them, but these snakes seemed uninterested in them and eagerly crawled into the area covered in the yellow powder, entangling and rolling around.
"…" Cheng Duo and Yong Ge exchanged glances. Yong Ge asked, "So, the powder lured the snakes?"
Observing the tangled mess of snakes on the ground, Cheng Duo thought for a moment, took out a large basket from his spatial storage, and used his iron spear to push the snakes into the basket. He then placed the basket into the spatial storage, where the tangled snakes died.
He continued to do this several times, and soon all the snakes in the tomb were dead.
Yong Ge felt a bit regretful seeing so many snakes and suggested taking them with them, considering how thick some of them were and how delicious snake soup would be.
"Let's not. We don't know what these snakes might have eaten in the tomb," Cheng Duo replied. It was a tomb after all, and they didn't want the snakes to crawl into a coffin – that would be too disgusting.
Yong Ge agreed after thinking about it and shivered, saying, "You're right. Let's leave quickly."
To be on the safe side, they backed away from that section of the tunnel, with one holding a spear and the other holding a bow and arrow, almost back to back.
Cheng Duo initially thought that the mechanisms would be the most challenging part, but they ended up wandering around the outer area of the tomb for a whole day and night. Yong Ge realized that having a map would be helpful, as they were likely to encounter more mechanisms inside.
Given the vast size of the place, they wondered where to find the mechanisms.
Then, Cheng Duo suddenly realized how foolish they were – he had already forcibly pushed open the main gate, so why follow the passages anymore?
He took out a prepared hammer from his spatial storage and told Yong Ge to stand back.
Yong Ge replied, "Okay."
While exploring the depths of the mountain tomb, they unexpectedly received a message from Li Wang. After reaching Yu Fang Mountain, Li Wang faced numerous difficulties and was nearly chased off a cliff by a blind bear. Nevertheless, he successfully found Li Da and Li Er and managed to make a living by brewing herbal soups for those constructing the city wall.
Li Wang had previous experience gathering herbs for a living, and he knew how to make simple medicinal soups for relieving headaches and fever. As the prisoners and soldiers building the wall had to endure the scorching sun, many of them fell ill and couldn't recover.
Hence, Li Wang's medicinal soups became a lifesaver for many, especially when there were no doctors in that remote location. They would buy Li Wang's soups for just two copper coins per bowl, as life was more precious than money.
Both prisoners and soldiers eagerly bought his soups, and later, Li Wang even prepared some cooling tea for relief from the heat. This helped support the livelihood of his family of three and left them with some savings.
Li Wang had no choice but to stay at the border initially, as Li Da had broken his leg, and Li Er was critically ill. If it weren't for Li Wang's timely arrival, they might not have survived.
Li Changgui recovered after resting for about half a month, but Li Changrong's leg required a few more months of rest. Life at the border was not too bad for Li Wang, but he faced difficulties sending messages.
He had to wait for a soldier delivering supplies to pass on his message to Cheng Duo. However, this time, the soldier had to leave hastily and only managed to leave a message for "Li San Ye".
Cheng Duo smashed open the wall and found a dark downward corridor inside, emitting a damp and putrid smell. He didn't go this way because he knew that some ancient burial passages were used to sacrifice livestock, and dead pigs and cows were left to rot together, producing miasma.
He chose another spot and broke through the ground. This time it was much better. Using a rope to lower a torch, he saw that the vault of this tomb chamber was about three to four meters high, and the areas not reached by the torch were dark and vague, resembling lurking giant beasts ready to pounce and carry people away.
However, this couldn't scare Cheng Duo. He had fought zombies and bizarre creatures; a slightly indistinct dark figure was nothing to him, and even if real zombies jumped out, he wouldn't be afraid.
"Below should be the tomb chamber. Do you want to come down with me?" Cheng Duo glanced at Yong Ge.
Yong Ge nodded, agreeing to go together. How could he give up halfway?
"I'm not afraid."
Even if Yong Ge wasn't afraid, Cheng Duo didn't immediately go down. He widened the hole a bit more and ate steamed buns with Yong Ge to fill their stomachs. Then, they descended using the rope.
They landed in a majestic hall, with an exquisitely carved bronze throne at the top. Thick red felt was draped under the throne, which seemed valuable in the past, but now it had decayed and weathered.
Beneath the hall were two rows of water channels, and behind each channel were places where guests sat. From near to far, they could accommodate hundreds of guests, showing the grand scale.
In total, there were eighteen stone pillars in the hall, and fist-sized night luminous stones absorbed the torch's light, emitting a faint glow.
Yong Ge was startled at first, mistaking them for the eyes of some wild beast. However, after hearing Cheng Duo say they were night luminous stones, he couldn't wait to pry them off.
Cheng Duo stopped him, "Don't rush. Let's go inside first."
Since his space was limited, if there were too many valuable treasures inside, he would have to abandon some. Let's keep these night luminous stones for illumination.
To make the hall brighter, Cheng Duo lit the candlesticks in the hall using a torch. Anyway, he had broken through the tomb chamber, so he wasn't afraid of running out of oxygen inside.
The two of them followed the stone steps behind the throne and went down all the way. It was then that they witnessed the luxury of the tomb owner. Apparently, he had many wives and concubines, and the coffins of each concubine were adorned with gold and jade. The side chambers were also extravagantly decorated, as if they were meant for the living, with jade curtains, emerald dressing boxes, and gold and silver articles everywhere.
Yong Ge was dumbfounded. With his impoverished mind, he couldn't fathom how someone could possess so much wealth and take it into the coffin.
His hand trembled, "Could the owner here be a noble or royalty?"
Cheng Duo reassured him, "Don't worry, even if they were nobles or royalty, they ended up just as dead as anyone else."
"… "
Cheng Duo led Yong Ge to the main tomb chamber at the end, where true treasures dazzled their eyes. Besides these, there were boxes of jewels and jade, ancient books and paintings, silk and satin fabrics… in short, nothing they hadn't seen could be found here.
Cheng Duo unexpectedly discovered the life story of the tomb's owner on one wall. To his surprise, the tomb's owner was not a noble or royalty as they had thought, but a skilled and wealthy merchant.
This merchant, surnamed Hu and known as Hu Gong, came from a family of traders for three generations. He was even more capable than his ancestors. He sent a trade caravan to the Western Regions, bringing back spices, precious stones, horses, and cattle in abundance, earning a fortune.
However, his extravagant wealth attracted various coveters, and despite having many wives and concubines, he had few children. The early ones died young or succumbed to illnesses.
When Hu Gong was in his fifties, his last surviving son was killed by enemies. Out of frustration, he decided to bury his treasures along with his vast wealth since he had no heir to pass it on to. To mislead his enemies and make them fight amongst themselves, he even sent out many seemingly authentic treasure maps…
However, Hu Gong left a back door, saying that if someone with destiny found the treasures, they were free to take them. He only hoped that the person wouldn't disturb his wives' and children's coffins and let them rest in peace.
Cheng Duo: "…"
How cunning a businessman could be! Hu Gong had both treasure maps and underground caves, and he set up numerous deadly traps above the tomb chamber. If it weren't for them accidentally breaking in, other teams would have faced countless obstacles, and who knows how many people would have died. And now he's talking about someone with destiny… If someone else came, they might just destroy the entire tomb chamber.
Fortunately, Cheng Duo didn't hold such grudges, and he had no interest in touching things soaked in corpse oil. After some thought, he said, "Yong Ge, there are too many valuable things here. Let's take some with us now and come back for the rest later?"
Yong Ge hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Alright."
"What's wrong?" Cheng Duo keenly noticed that Yong Ge's eyebrows furrowed slightly, seeming a bit unhappy.
Yong Ge pursed his lips, "Cheng Duo… Now that we have money, do you want to live elsewhere?"
In fact, ever since they carried out the box of gold and silver on their wedding night, Yong Ge had been worried about this, but he had been holding it in. Now that they had found so many treasures, his anxiety became too much to bear.
Cheng Duo lifted his face, making Yong Ge look into his eyes, "Do you want to leave?"
Yong Ge shook his head, "No."
"Then we won't leave. Yang Village is nice enough." Cheng Duo understood that Yong Ge's lack of confidence was not in him but in himself. So he worked hard to learn things and investigate his world, wanting to keep up with him…
"Whether we have a lot of money or not, it only improves our lives and makes us better off, but our relationship won't change… Unless you want to leave me?" Cheng Duo's gaze suddenly dimmed as he said, "My life is yours; these treasures are nothing compared to you. I'll give them all to you."
"I don't want them!" Yong Ge grew anxious and hurriedly threw himself into Cheng Duo's arms, afraid that he might misunderstand if he was a step too slow.
Cheng Duo smiled; he knew Yong Ge wouldn't disappoint him. He teased him intentionally, "Really don't want them? Am I more important than these treasures?"
"Um." Yong Ge nodded firmly, feeling a bit embarrassed but still lifted his head, looking at Cheng Duo with bright eyes, and earnestly told him, "You are important."
Cheng Duo kissed Yong Ge's eyes and spoke in a tender and unbelievable tone, "I also think that my Yong Ge is more important."
Having lived for two lifetimes, he had witnessed how wealth and fame could vanish in an instant and had seen the ugliest side of human nature. But every time, Yong Ge could touch the softest part of his heart. Compared to treasures, all he wanted was this partner who filled his heart and eyes.
The two cuddled for a while, and Cheng Duo finally remembered the main task, "Yong Ge, let's take the things and leave quickly."
Confiding in each other in someone else's tomb chamber felt somewhat strange…
"Okay." This time, Yong Ge sounded much happier. His family's husband said he was more important than the treasures, and he promised not to go anywhere else… Yong Ge knew that Cheng Duo wouldn't lie to him, and most of his worries instantly disappeared.
The two picked and selected together, stuffing eight large boxes into the space. These gold, silver, and gems were inedible and undrinkable. Considering Cheng Duo's cautious personality, he also needed to leave some space for food and essentials. Thus, he stopped when he saw a good opportunity.
To be cautious, when Cheng Duo left, he not only sealed the hole he broke with a stone slab but also securely blocked the passage above with dry branches and leaves. The disguise was nearly perfect; even others wouldn't notice it.
Satisfied, Cheng Duo turned around and clapped his hands, "All right, let's go home."
As soon as he finished speaking, a warm body leaned against him, and Cheng Duo quickly reached out to hold it, planting a kiss on the smooth forehead, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just miss our home." Yong Ge nuzzled in his embrace, then suddenly remembered something and spoke in a softer tone, "I also miss my father…"
Cheng Duo paused, feeling that he might have gone too far. What if… he adjusted the plan and first took Yong Ge to the border to find his father?
With this weather, Yong Ge would surely suffer at the border…
Cheng Duo hesitated, but then, as soon as they returned, they received a message from Li San Ye saying that Yong Ge's father had sent a message.
Since Li Changrong's leg needed more time to heal, Cheng Duo decided to abandon the idea of taking Yong Ge to the border. However, he planned to have someone deliver some money and supplies to them. After all, on the one hand, he married their son, and on the other hand, Li Changrong's leg injury was partly his responsibility.
However, going to the border was no joke; encountering robbers along the way could be fatal. That was why Cheng Duo had considered hiring villagers to find people before but eventually didn't act on it.
But now, with a rough location, things became much easier. He could ask Xie Yuan to find merchants and escorts to deliver the goods.
As they talked about Xie Yuan, he appeared right on cue, riding a tall horse and accompanied by five or six servants and two cooks.
Seeing the group sweating profusely, panting for breath, Cheng Duo supported his forehead and said, "You really never rest for a day…"
Xie Yuan was a bit better on horseback, except for his slightly red face from the sun, "That's right, as businessmen, we must always keep our promises. Can't be careless with our reputation… Huff, it's so hot!"
"How about it? I've prepared everything you wanted. Let's have the… hotpot for lunch?" Xie Yuan asked.
"… Maybe not. How about you all have some bitter melon soup for lunch to cool down," Cheng Duo was afraid that if they ate hotpot under this scorching weather, their house would explode!
