More tender than pork

After Su Yuhe went out, Meng Zhixian gave Ruan Puchuan another couple of looks. Seeing him fearfully keep his head bowed, he immediately lost interest and followed her to the study to copy books.

The sun was bright that day. Liu Xiaobo forcibly pushed Li Wenxiu out into the courtyard to bask in it, his heart heavy as he listened to his daughter's curses.

It was not because his daughter was cursing him, but because he thought of how his daughter, who had once had a boundless future, had broken her leg and changed from a quiet, gentle young woman into someone gloomy and despondent who refused to speak or come outside.

He crouched to tuck her blanket around her, then rose and headed toward the kitchen. "Dad will go make you some cabbage dumplings."

"Come back! I want to go back inside! Push me in! I'm talking to you! Come back!"

As that figure disappeared into the thatch-roofed kitchen, Li Wenxiu went limp. The sunlight was far too dazzling, stinging her eyes until they watered.

The courtyard was utterly silent, just as quiet as the room where she usually stayed. The difference was that the sunlight made her dizzy.

Suddenly, a voice as clear and bright as a lark's rang out.

Li Wenxiu pricked up her ears to listen. "Brother Pu Chuan, I'll wait outside."

The old wooden door was pushed open, shaking loose the dust in its cracks. That timid, shrinking face appeared before her, and she turned away in disgust.

"W-wife."

The owner of that face quickly walked up to her and looked at her in trepidation, as though she were some man-eating monster.

She did not want to acknowledge him. Her gaze wandered to the doorway, where a pair of clear, curious eyes met hers. The young boy's face still had soft baby fat, making him look innocent and guileless.

Li Wenxiu's gaze returned to the boy before her, her tone stiff. "Who is he?"

Lu Mingxi drew his head back. This woman did not seem to have a very good temper.

Ruan Puchuan kept his head lowered and explained quietly, "He's from Lady Su's household, in the north of the village."

Lady Su. Her again.

Now that he mentioned it, she remembered. She had seen him before, but he had not left much of an impression.

"What is he here for?"

His wife did not usually ask about trivial matters, and her sudden question left Ruan Puchuan unsure how to answer. Outside, Lu Mingxi heard no voices and hesitantly poked his head in to explain for him. "I-I came to ask Brother Pu Chuan to cut grass with me."

Li Wenxiu glanced at him, her tone a little gentler than before. "Come in."

Lu Mingxi shook his head. "I can just wait outside."

She said nothing more, watching Ruan Puchuan fetch a carrying basket and head outside.

Hearing the noise, Liu Xiaobo came out, still wrapping dumplings, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Nowhere to be seen first thing in the morning! Where the hell did you go?"

Ruan Puchuan was only two steps from getting out, but now he had to turn back to appease his father-in-law's anger.

"I..."

"He went out to cut grass."

Liu Xiaobo gave the speaker a surprised look. It was his darling daughter. She never usually asked about such things, and the anger he had been about to unleash died away.

"What grass? Just take the chickens out for a turn. Carrying a basket out to cut grass-isn't that a lot of bother?" He made a circuit inside and out. Seeing that there really were no chores left, he caught sight of the water vat, which was not full. "Go fetch water. What do you need to cut grass for?"

Ruan Puchuan dared not disobey his father-in-law's orders. He looked apologetically at Lu Mingxi. "Sorry, I can't cut grass with you today."

Lu Mingxi shrank behind the door, not daring to show his face. He had heard the voice of that man from a few days ago, and still remembered his yelling and cursing.

So scary.

He nodded haphazardly. "All right."

"Who are you talking to?"

Liu Xiaobo strode out in a few steps. He paused at the sight of the young boy's terrified eyes, then unceremoniously pinched his cheek. "City-bred flesh really is tender. This face is even more tender than the pork from the market."

Lu Mingxi grew even more frightened and somewhat regretted coming out with Ruan Puchuan. Ruan Puchuan was anxious too, but dared not speak, afraid it would have the opposite effect.

"Dad!"

He turned and met Li Wenxiu's dark eyes. Liu Xiaobo walked over to her. "What is it? Hungry?"

"Yes, I'm hungry."

Liu Xiaobo's eyebrows shot up. "Hurry up and get to the kitchen to cook!"

Ruan Puchuan shut the door and answered before heading toward the kitchen. Meanwhile, Lu Mingxi had already run far away. He had memorized the route on the way there, and now raced home.

With the sun shining brightly, Lu Mingyi had brought the bamboo shoots out to dry. Suddenly, the front gate was pushed open, and a figure in blue-gray darted to his side.

"Brother, it was so scary."

Lu Mingyi did not even lift his eyelids. "Weren't you going to cut grass?"

"Don't even mention it. Brother Pu Chuan's father-in-law is that old man from the other day, the one who said all those nasty things." He patted his chest, still caught up in his fear.

Lu Mingyi gave a mild "Mm" and spread the bamboo shoots out a little more. "Did he curse at you?"

The young boy shook his head and headed toward the study. "I'm going to tell our wife."

"Wife, you have no idea what happened to me." Lu Mingxi crouched beside Su Yuhe's legs and, without waiting for her to ask, spilled everything like beans pouring out of a sack.

Su Yuhe put down her brush, shook out her hand, and wiped the flour off his face. "Perhaps he only pinched you because he thought you were cute. He wouldn't really eat you."

Meng Zhixian cast a cool glance at Lu Mingxi, who was draped over their wife's lap, acting spoiled and saying how frightened he was. Inwardly, he cursed him countless times, never stopping his hand as he copied the book.