The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 63

After returning home, Tian Xiaoman took out all the dried fruits and other items he bought today, soaking those that needed to be soaked. The two types of rice needed to soak for a long time so that the porridge the next morning would be sweet and sticky.

After a simple dinner, everyone washed up and went back to their rooms to rest.

The next morning, Tian Xiaoman woke up early, and Li Wenxuan was still asleep in bed. 

Today was a holiday, and there were not many people on the street. Everything that needed to be bought had already been taken care of yesterday.

Li Wenxuan wanted to pull Tian Xiaoman back into bed with him, but Tian Xiaoman remembered he had a task to complete today. He cruelly rejected the request, pushing him back with a palm.

It wasn’t yet dawn. Tian Xiaoman lit a candle and went into the kitchen. He saw that the items soaking in the basin had been fully soaked, so he drained the water and fished them out.

It was cold outside. Thick frost had formed on the dry grass, and some of the water on the ground had frozen into ice, creaking when stepped on. Tian Xiaoman took advantage of the fire not being too high and stepped outside for a moment.

It was strange; it should have snowed by now. People often say that auspicious snow signals a good harvest, and farmers still looked forward to the snow. 

But there hadn’t been any this year.

“Why are you standing outside?” Li Wenxuan’s voice came suddenly from the kitchen door.

“Why did you get up? You should sleep a little longer. You can continue to rest. I can manage on my own,” Tian Xiaoman said.

“Feel sorry for me?”

“Who feels sorry for you? You’re just flattering yourself!” Tian Xiaoman spat at him and walked around him into the kitchen.

“Ah, Xiaoman, you’re just not honest,” Wenxuan said in mock disappointment. “He’s the honest one.”

Xiaoman froze. “Oh? Who? Who said that? Tell me clearly!”

Li Wenxuan burst out laughing. “Who else could it be? My husband! Who else would feel sorry for me except him!”

“You bad guy!” Tian Xiaoman rushed at him with punches and kicks.

 Li Wenxuan easily, provoking him with more teasing words.

“What are you two doing so early in the morning? Practicing martial arts?” Li Amu’s voice came from behind.

“Amu, he’s bullying me!” Tian Xiaoman complained.

“Oh, this bold guy dares to bully you? Let’s see how I deal with him!” He reached out, grabbed Wenxuan by the ear, and dragged him outside while Xiaoman doubled over laughing behind them.

In reality, he knew that Li Wenxuan wasn’t hurt, Amu hadn’t pulled hard enough to hurt, but it still felt great to have someone on his side. And honestly, if Wenxuan really had been hurt, Xiaoman would’ve felt bad for him.

Tian Xiaoman prepared the ingredients for a large pot of sweet, sticky Laba porridge, adding them in the order of how long each one needed to cook.

Soon, it was daybreak. A large group of children rushed to Tian Xiaoman’s door, as he was the only new husband this year.

Li Amu heard the knock on the door and rushed over to open it. Seeing so many little faces staring at him expectantly, his heart softened.

“Come in! The Laba porridge’s been ready for a while.”

Tian Xiaoman was serving the porridge in small bowls. 

Twenty or thirty children each received a bowl, happily eating. Eating hot and sweet porridge in the cold weather made everyone feel warm.

The children discussed in low voices. Some said they liked dates, some liked lotus seeds, and some didn’t know about certain ingredients, but they all loved it.

Le-ge’er, seeing so many children gathered, would glance at them while eating his porridge.

After finishing, some children dropped their bowls and ran off, while others were polite and said their thanks. The more sensible ones even helped collect the bowls so it would be easier to clean up.

Seeing Le-ge’er itching to run and play with them, Li Amu told him to go ahead—after all, everyone here was from the village—but reminded him not to wander too far. 

An older child was holding Le-ge’er’s hand, and he seemed very happy.

“Amu, have all the village kids come?” Xiaoman asked, glancing at the pot. There was still some porridge left. He wasn’t sure what to do with it—if he ladled it out now, it’d go cold, but if he left it, it would be wasted.

“Let me think…” Li Amu counted the children in the village. “Did you see Lin boy just now?”

“It seems not. He didn’t come,” Tian Xiaoman replied, after thinking about it.

“He was fine yesterday. Could Liu Amu have kept him home? Or maybe he’s just shy? Xiaoman, serve the porridge. If he comes later, we can heat it up.”

“Okay!”

Liu Xilin was indeed too shy to come. He’d cried so loudly yesterday—surely everyone had heard him! Kicking a small stone along the path, he trudged forward aimlessly.

Suddenly, he heard a cry—a thin, sad sound.

Curious, he walked over and found the little ger from yesterday sitting under a tree. He was holding a purse tightly and looking around from time to time, sobbing quietly.

“Why are you here?” Liu Xilin asked.

“The Brother ran away!” 

Le-ge’er had been led out to play. They decided to play a game of tag, but as they ran, Le-ge’er, being the slowest, was left behind.

“Do you want to go back? I can take you back,” Liu Xilin asked, seeing how pitiful Le-ge’er looked, sitting alone and crying. He might not know the way home.

“Hmm!” Le-ge’er stopped crying when he saw Liu Xilin. He hummed and then naturally raised his hands, wanting to be picked up.

Liu Xilin didn’t understand at first. He stared at Le-ge’er blankly, not understanding the gesture. 

Le-ge’er kept his arms up, then said one clear word, “Carry!”

Liu Xilin, who was about six or seven years old, didn’t know how to hold a child younger than him. He tried to lift him but couldn’t manage. After trying a second time with more force, he did lift Le-ge’er, but he quickly dropped him again.

Le-ge’er was distressed. Does this brother even know how to carry people?

Liu Xilin was also troubled. He thought the ger was a little heavy.

“How about I go call Grandmu Li to hold you?” Liu Xilin said, about to leave to get help.

Le-ge’er quickly pulled him back. “No!” Then he looked like he was about to cry again.

“I’ll hold your hand and walk you home, all right? Big brother can’t carry you.” Liu Xilin tried to reason with him.

“Okay.” Le-ge’er nodded repeatedly, deciding to go along with it. He was going home anyway.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. 

Tian Xiaoman, who was working with the pig’s trotter, put it down and went to open the door.

“Xiao Lin, come in quickly. I’ve heated up some porridge for you.” Tian Xiaoman called out, but Liu Xilin didn’t move. The little tail behind him popped out.

From behind him a little tail popped out.

“Le-ge’er? Weren’t you out playing with the other boys?” Xiaoman asked in surprise. “How did Xiao Lin end up bringing you home?”

“Brother ran… very fast! Gone!” Le-ge’er said solemnly, miming running with his arms. When he got to the word gone, he sighed dramatically, a disappointed look on his face.

“Then this big brother took you home, right?”

“Mm!” Le-ge’er nodded eagerly. Momo is really smart, he thought. Then another thought crossed his mind. “Brother didn’t carry!”

“Uncle Xiaoman, I couldn’t carry him!” Liu Xilin said quickly, flustered. He’d tried—he really had, but couldn’t manage to lift him.

Tian Xiaoman burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that he nearly fell over. 

This little fat boy is still complaining? He’s lucky Xiao Lin could even lift him at all!