The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 79

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, people visit relatives and friends, typically walking around the village.

Tian Xiaoman, being newly married, was expected to visit all the elders in the village in his first year. 

So, after Li Amu checked the time, he began urging them to go.

Of course, one must not visit empty-handed, so Li Wenxuan had prepared a pouch of candied mandarins for every elder in the village. This fruit was especially favored by the elderly here. The outside was coated with a layer of sugar, and the mandarin inside had dried into a soft cake. Even elders with no teeth could let it melt in their mouths.

It was a customary gift in their village—neither too flashy nor impolite.

Li Wenxuan and Tian Xiaoman carried their gifts and went from house to house, paying New Year’s greetings. They sat for a while in each home, drank tea if the family was wealthy, and water if they were not. The fruit plate was always set out, accompanied by peanuts, melon seeds, and candies.

“I can’t… I can’t anymore…” Tian Xiaoman clutched his belly and whispered to Wenxuan. After drinking tea or water at every house, his stomach felt painfully full. He desperately needed the latrine. But using someone’s latrine on New Year’s Day was extremely impolite, so he forced himself to endure until he simply couldn’t.

Li Wenxuan wanted to laugh, but he knew he would be scolded if he did, so he held back. “Don’t worry, don’t worry,” he reassured him. “It’s not far from home. Let’s go home first and then visit the next family.”

Tian Xiaoman shot him a resentful look.  As if he hadn’t noticed—clearly both of them drank the same amount. Why wasn’t Wenxuan rushing to the latrine?

When they returned home, Tian Xiaoman rushed to the toilet. 

Li Amu looked at them in confusion. “Didn’t you just leave?”

After Tian Xiaoman finished, they grabbed their things again and headed to Liu Amu’s house.

It was still the same old place, except now decorated with window papers, giving it a hint of festivity. 

Liu Xilin was leaning against the window and spotted them from afar. He immediately shouted, “Grand-amu, quick! My master and master’s husband are here!”

Then he ran outside, circling them excitedly. “Master, why didn’t Le-ge’er come?” He didn’t see Le-ge’er and missed this little tail of his.

“I have to visit many families today, so I didn’t bring him along,” Li Wenxuan said, spotting Grand-amu Liu who had also come out. He and Tian Xiaoman bowed together. “Grand-amu Liu, happy New Year. May all your wishes come true!”

Receiving the gift, Liu Amu’s old face wrinkled into a full blossom of smiles. “Good, good, come in and sit!”

On the table were many items. Grand-amu Liu, who had been stingy for a year, finally bought some food for the New Year. 

Liu Xilin poured two cups of hot water from the kitchen and then knelt down to Li Wenxuan. “Master and master’s husband, Happy New Year. I offer you tea!”

Li Wenxuan accepted the tea with a smile, and then Tian Xiaoman handed him a red envelope—New Year’s money.

Liu Xilin was overjoyed to receive the red envelope, but Grand-amu Liu felt a little embarrassed. He had not only bought gifts but also gave out New Year’s money!

Li Wenxuan noticed his discomfort and quickly comforted him. “It’s just a small gesture from the master. When Liu Xilin grows up, he will repay you with more filial piety.”

After a short visit, Li Wenxuan and Tian Xiaoman said their goodbyes since they still had more houses to visit.

By the time they finished visiting everyone in the village, including Zhu San momo’s house (who had once had a quarrel with Tian Xiaoman), it was past noon. 

In a village, quarrels are common—after all, who hasn’t bumped into someone over the years? It’s rare for people to become lifelong enemies.

When they returned home, Li Amu asked if Tian Xiaoman and the others were hungry.

Tian Xiaoman waved his hands. After eating so much food at everyone else’s homes, how could he still be hungry?

Li Amu, experienced as he was, didn’t insist. Instead, he asked if they wanted to join him in worshipping the Buddha.

There was a Phoenix Mountain in the neighboring town, where a temple stood. The Buddha there was said to be very powerful, so every New Year’s Day, the villagers organized a trip to offer their prayers.

Tian Xiaoman, though a bit tired after walking the whole morning, wouldn’t miss such a gathering for anything!

The villagers planned to leave at noon. Since it was a little far from their village, those with carts were tasked with transporting those without.

Though their village had once been known for being poor, in recent years, it had produced many capable people. Among them were the two Li brothers, Fu Yun’s husband (the tofu seller), Tie Zhu’s son (the peddler), and the village chief’s son. Most families owned an ox cart, so everyone who wanted to go had a ride.

Tian Xiaoman rested for a while before getting on Li Wenxuan’s cart. The people from their family who were going included Li Amu, Le-ge’er, Tian Xiaoman, and Li Wenxuan. Li Yiran and Father Li were not going.

Li Amu also called over Liu Amu and Liu Xilin, as well as Wan Amu and his son, who lived nearby, filling up most of the carts.

When Li Wenxuan drove over, many carts were already lined up at the entrance of the village. The first one was from the village chief’s family. 

As more people arrived, the village chief shouted, “Let’s go!” The procession slowly moved forward.

Liu Amu told Liu Xilin to go play with Le-ge’er, and the two children quickly sat together, whispering. 

Liu Amu then spoke to Li Amu, “The Bodhisattva of Childbirth at Tianwang Temple is very effective. You should take Xiaoman to worship there. You’ll definitely have a fat baby this year!”

Li Amu grinned from ear to ear. “Why do we need to worship the Bodhisattva? Xiaoman is already pregnant!”

Liu Amu looked at Tian Xiaoman, surprised. “Really?” He added, “You’re so lucky! Pregnant so soon? You’ll have two grandchildren in three years. You’ll never be short of grandkids to care for!”

Wan Amu also said, “Yes, Xiaoman seems easy to give birth. Your family is prosperous!” He glanced at the person sitting next to him with a sigh of regret.

Sitting next to him was his son-in-law, Wu Yu. Though he married a year before Tian Xiaoman, there was still no news of his pregnancy. Wan Amu was starting to feel anxious.

Wu Yu heard his Amu-in-law’s sigh and clenched his heart. He nearly cried, feeling that he had let them down. He looked at Tian Xiaoman, thinking how lucky he was.

After about an hour’s drive, the group reached the foot of Phoenix Mountain. The temple was halfway up the mountain, and there was only a narrow path leading up. The carts couldn’t go up.

Tian Xiaoman, who had never been there before, looked ahead curiously and saw many grandAmus carrying baskets, chatting and laughing as they climbed the mountain.

Someone from the village was in charge of watching the carts, so Li Wenxuan was free to go up. 

He picked up Le-ge’er and placed him on his shoulders. “Let’s go!”

The day was clear and sunny. The past two days had been windy, but today was calm. It was a good day for climbing. For farmers, this year has been disappointing due to the lack of snow. But for those heading up the mountain today, it felt like a blessing.

Tian Xiaoman, young and strong, walked ahead. The path was familiar to the villagers, and it had been walked so often that a flat trail had formed.

Li Wenxuan, carrying Le-ge’er, followed behind and kept telling Tian Xiaoman to slow down. 

Tian Xiaoman stopped when he heard that, feeling guilty for forgetting about his condition.

Li Wenxuan caught up and flicked his forehead gently. “You, you, slow down, okay?”

Tian Xiaoman covered his forehead, feeling embarrassed, and nodded. 

The two walked slowly the rest of the way, enjoying the scenery—though there wasn’t much to see in winter, just dead branches and fallen leaves.

Tian Xiaoman found himself staring at Li Wenxuan, watching him patiently answer Le-ge’er’s innocent questions, and occasionally helping Lin Xiaozi over a small hole in the path.