"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.