Following the steps taught by Qiguan Yuan, Shen Yuzhou poured the picked medicinal herbs and flower petals into a bamboo sieve and carried it under the eaves to drain.
Rainwater slid down from the edge of the eaves, landed on the edge of the bamboo sieve, and flowed down through the sieve holes.
After Qiguan Yuan returned, he was instructed to place the bamboo sieve on the stone pier next to the corridor pillar.
Then he took two steps back and watched as the rain washed away the dust from the surface of the petals.
Cheng Yanqiu stood beside him, holding a bowl of crushed medicinal herbs. She stirred it slowly with chopsticks, and the crushed petals piled up into a small mound in the bowl. The mound was purplish-black and emitted a bitter herbal aroma.
Lin Yanru brought over the stone mortar, which contained pounded yeast powder, off-white in color, with fine grain particles. It was old yeast made by mixing Polygonum hydropiper and rice flour and then fermenting it.
Su He'an brought the camera close to the stone mortar and took a close-up shot.
Ji Shiyu took the bowl from Cheng Yanqiu, poured the crushed medicinal herbs into the stone mortar, mixed it with the yeast powder, and gently pounded it with a stone pestle.
The purple flower petals and off-white yeast powder mix together, slowly turning grayish-purple. The aroma of herbs and yeast blend together, creating a strong yet clean scent.
Jiang Wantang brought over the rice that had been steamed and cooled in advance. The rice grains were white and translucent, and were no longer hot to the touch, with the temperature dropping to around thirty degrees Celsius.
She evenly sprinkled the yeast powder mixed with yeast flowers from the stone mortar onto the rice and stirred it.
The rice grains under her hand were slowly coated with a layer of grayish-purple powder, one by one, no longer sticking together.
She gathered the glutinous rice mixed with yeast into an open earthenware jar, gently flattened it with the back of her hand, and hollowed out a fist-sized round hole in the middle, leading all the way to the bottom of the jar—this was to leave a vent for ventilation.
Shen Yuzhou squatted down and watched for a while. Then he reached out and picked up a grain of rice coated with yeast powder, put it on his tongue and tasted it. It was slightly bitter, yet had a hint of herbal coolness.
He stood up and helped carry the earthenware jar to a sheltered spot by the pillars, covered it with a clean coarse cloth, and then wrapped it with a thin cotton quilt.
Shen Yuzhou dusted off the powder on his hands and leaned closer to Qiguan Yuan. " Brother Yuan, how long until we can drink this wine?"
Qiguan Yuan took a sip of tea. "Three days. Once the medicinal herbs have fermented, mix them with rice wine, seal the jar, and let it sit for as long as possible."
Shen Yuzhou opened his mouth. "It'll take this long?"
Qiguan Yuan glanced at him. "Brewing wine isn't like drinking water. It can't be rushed."
Shen Yuzhou shut his mouth, walked back to the cutting board, and sniffed the aroma in the air again.
Qiguan Yuan placed the teacup on the windowsill, put on his straw hat, picked up a shovel from the corner behind the door, walked through the moon gate, and went to the old elm tree.
Rainwater slid down from the branches, landing on his straw hat and trickling down the brim.
He squatted down, stuck the shovel into the soil next to the tree roots, and stomped on it.
The soil was wet and loose, and he dug it open with a single shovel. He dug again and again, turning the soil aside to reveal the mouth of a wine jar.
The jar was sealed with red cloth, which had faded to a light pink color.
He cleared away the soil around the mouth of the jar, bent down, hugged the jar, and lifted it up.
The wine jar was heavy, and he used a little force to pull it out of the soil.
The jar was covered in wet mud. He used a spell to wipe it off, revealing the dark brown pottery underneath.
He carried the wine jar to his chest and walked towards the main house.
Inside the main room, the guests had already neatly laid out the cooked rice in bamboo trays and covered them with clean gauze.
Ji Shiyu chopping vegetables next to the stove. Several ingredients were laid out on the cutting board: green vegetables, tofu, cured meat, and eggs.
The ingredients were prepared by Qiguan Yuan a few days ago when he realized that these guests needed to eat, so he had Jixian brought them down the mountain.
Cheng Yanqiu was washing rice, while Shen Yuzhou was peeling garlic next to him. He peeled two cloves, and garlic skin got stuck under his fingernails. He shook his hand off.
Lin Yanru Su He'an squatted beside her, adding firewood to the firebox.
Jiang Wantang was washing the dishes Ji Shiyu chopped a plate of vegetables. She took the plate from him, rinsed it with water, and handed it back.
When Ji Shiyu took it, his fingers touched hers, and both of their fingers flinched.
Qiguan Yuan placed the wine jar on the corner of the table, mouth facing upwards, and left it to cool.
He sat down at the table and watched the others busy themselves.
He... can't cook.
Pei Yubai returned from the woodshed, carrying a ceramic jar in his hand. The mouth of the jar was sealed with a layer of gauze, and deep purple juice could be seen through the gauze.
He placed the pottery jar on the windowsill, walked over and sat down next to Qiguan Yuan, their shoulders touching.
Qiguan Yuan glanced at him sideways. "All done?"
Pei Yubai nodded and turned to help.
Unsurprisingly, his mischief annoyed Ji Shiyu, who then kicked all the guests out.
Let them sit and wait for the meal to be served.
The guests who had been kicked out exchanged glances, then their eyes met those of Qiguan Yuan, who was still seated.
Qiguan Yuan chuckled, "You were kicked out for causing trouble?"
Shen Yuzhou sighed again, " Brother Ji in the kitchen is something else! Even Brother Pei avoids him."
The others burst out laughing.
The dishes were served one by one.
Stir-fried greens, stir-fried tofu with cured pork, egg drop soup, cold black fungus salad, and a plate of steamed sweet potatoes.
Shen Yuzhou sat down with a bowl of rice, aligned his chopsticks on the table, picked up a piece of cured meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and his eyes lit up. "Delicious."
Cheng Yanqiu sat down next to him, picked up a piece, chewed it a couple of times, and nodded. " Teacher Ji's cooking skills are truly excellent."
Ji Shiyu came out from behind the stove, carrying a bowl of soup, and placed it in the middle of the table.
Jiang Wantang followed behind him, carrying a stack of bowls, which she placed in front of each person.
Then the guests began to eat.
Qiguan Yuan sat on the couch by the window.
He didn't sit at the table. He didn't usually eat, and after the wine jar was unearthed, he lost all interest in eating.
On the small square table in front of him was a wine glass with a small opening. He picked it up, took a sip, put it back on the table, and slowly twirled his fingers along the rim.
His gaze fell on the rain and mist outside the window, his fingers twirling the wine glass, the liquid inside swirling slightly.
Pei Yubai noticed that Qiguan Yuan wasn't in a very good mood, so he quickly finished his meal and then sat down on the edge of the couch next to Qiguan Yuan.
Hold his hand and stay with him.
The dishes on the table were dwindling.
After finishing two bowls of rice, Shen Yuzhou leaned back in his chair, rubbed his stomach, and said, "I'm stuffed."
Then they got up and cleaned the dishes.
After the other staff members finished eating the meal prepared by the chef brought by Meng Xu, they cleaned up and left.
Meng Xu sat at the table for a while, then stood up, walked to the door, and looked at the sky. It was still raining, and it was completely dark.
He turned to the guests and said, "That's all for today. Tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, Teacher Qiguan said there are other plans."
The guests responded and gradually dispersed.
Qiguan Yuan was still sitting by the window.
The wine glass in front of him was empty, and he had opened a corner of the seal on the wine jar, letting the aroma of wine waft out, mingling with the smell of rain and grass from outside the window.
He leaned against the couch, holding an empty wine glass, and in his other hand he held a book with yellowed pages.
He read very slowly, pausing on each page for a long time, his gaze fixed on the page without turning it.
Pei Yubai sat down next to him, took the empty wine glass from his hand and placed it on the table. He then took a clean glass from the small square table on the couch, poured half a glass of warm water, and handed it to him.
Qiguan Yuan took the water glass, but didn't drink from it; he placed it on his lap.
His gaze shifted from the book to Pei Yubai's face, and after a couple of seconds, he smiled.
He closed the book, placed it beside the couch, and leaned to the side, resting his head on Pei Yubai's shoulder.
Silver hair cascaded down Pei Yubai's arm, the ends brushing against the back of his hand.
Pei Yubai sat up straighter, making him more comfortable.
Qiguan Yuan closed his eyes, his breathing was very light, and his chest rose and fell slightly.
His fingers rested on his knees, the fingertips dangling down and touching the back of Pei Yubai.
Pei Yubai looked down at him; Qiguan Yuan's breath reeked of alcohol.
Qiguan Yuan's fingers twitched, gently rubbing against his palm.
Pei Yubai's throat moved slightly.
He turned to the side, raised his other hand, and touched Qiguan Yuan with his fingers, lifting it slightly upwards.
Qiguan Yuan tilted her head back as he did so, her eyes slightly narrowed.
Pei Yubai, pressed his lips against Pei Yubai's, which reeked of alcohol, and slowly rubbed them together.
Just as Pei Yubai was about to deepen the kiss, Qiguan Yuan turned his head away, his lips sliding off Pei Yubai's and burying themselves in the crook of his neck.
Warm breath, carrying the scent of alcohol, brushed against Pei Yubai's neck, tickling him and spreading from his skin to the back of his neck, and from the back of his neck to his spine.
Pei Yubai sighed softly, helped Qiguan Yuan up from under his neck, and let him lean against the back of the couch.
He turned to look at him and called out, " Yuanyuan."
Qiguan Yuan opened his eyes, his eyes red and clearly showing signs of drunkenness. His gaze fell on Pei Yubai's face, unfocused.
"Is the reward you promised me during the day still valid?" Pei Yubai asked.
Qiguan Yuan picked up the empty wine glass from the table, looked at the bottom of the glass against the light, and then put it down.
He tilted his head slightly, his voice carrying a different meaning due to the alcohol. "Of course it counts."
He rested his hand on the table, propped his chin on his hand, and said lazily, " Pei Yubai, what reward do you want?"
Pei Yubai looked into his eyes. "I want to kiss Yuanyuan."
Qiguan Yuan shook his head, smiled, and his eyes glistened with a thin layer of tears. "I can kiss you anytime. How about choosing someone else?"
Pei Yubai stared intently at him. "Okay."
Qiguan Yuan lowered his hand from under his chin, sat up straight, grabbed Pei Yubai's collar, pulled him towards himself, and pushed him down onto the couch.
The cotton cushion on the tatami mat was very soft, and when Pei Yubai lay down, his body sank into it slightly.
Qiguan Yuan stopped above him, looking at Pei Yubai's face with some distress. "What should we do next?"
Pei Yubai raised his hand, grabbed Qiguan Yuan by the back of the neck, and rolled over to pin him down.
The small square table on the couch was knocked over by his knee, and the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone on the table were scattered on the couch. The writing brush rolled to Qiguan Yuan's side, and the inkstone was overturned on the couch, with ink spreading into a small dark stain.
Pei Yubai stopped what he was doing, reached for the calligraphy brush, and tried to tidy up the spilled things.
Qiguan Yuan pressed his hand down.
Pei Yubai looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Qiguan Yuan took the brush from his hand; the tip was still stained with ink. He glanced down at the tip, then looked up at Pei Yubai.
A hint of intoxication seeped from his eyes, his light-colored eyes seemed veiled by a thin mist, giving him a hazy look when he looked at people, a look he himself was unaware of.
He gripped the pen and pulled Pei Yubai closer by the collar. "May I mark this for you?"
Pei Yubai with him and did not move.
Qiguan Yuan raised his hand and lifted the hem of Pei Yubai, revealing his muscular waist and chest, which looked like the result of long-term exercise.
He sat up straight, looking at the hem of the garment in his hand, then at Pei Yubai: "Could you hold it in your mouth for me? It's getting in the way."
Qiguan Yuan held the hem of his robe to Pei Yubai's lips. Pei Yubai opened his mouth and bit it.
His gaze shifted from the hem of his robe to Qiguan Yuan's face. His hands were already dipped in ink, holding the brush with the tip pressed against Qi Guanyuan's left chest.
The cool touch glides across the skin, slowly and deliberately, a sensation that is truly agonizing.
Pei Yubai bit his own hem, his hand involuntarily reaching up to Qiguan Yuan, his fingertips brushing against his waistline, able to feel the warmth beneath the green fabric.
Qiguan Yuan did not dodge, nor did he stop writing; he finished writing three words on Qi Guanyuan's chest.
He straightened up, leaned close to Pei Yubai's chest, and gently blew on the two characters, probably trying to make the ink dry faster.
The breath, tinged with the smell of alcohol, brushed against the ink stains, cool and ticklish.
Pei Yubai released the hem of Qi Guanyuan's mouth, cupped Qiguan Yuan's face, and kissed him.
Lips pressed together, deep and restrained, one hand still clasped around Qiguan Yuan's waist. He pulled back slightly, forehead to Qiguan Yuan: " Yuanyuan, stop teasing me, I can't take it anymore."
Qiguan Yuan smiled, reached out and pinched his collar, gently pulling it open a little to reveal a patch of skin. "I'll allow you to write it back, Pei Yubai."
Pei Yubai took the brush from his hand, dipped the tip in the inkstone, and pressed it against Qiguan Yuan's chest.
Qiguan Yuan looked down at his hand, watching the pen tip slowly move across his skin.
The pen tip was cold and ticklish, and his fingers curled slightly on the couch.
After writing the last character, Pei Yubai placed the brush beside the couch and looked down at the words he had written.
The ink slowly dried on his skin, leaving his name written on his fair complexion.
For some reason, I had a feeling that he had left a mark on Yuanyuan.
Qiguan Yuan reached out and touched the words on his chest, his fingertips tracing the ink.
He smiled, then stood up, supporting himself on the edge of the couch, his movements somewhat unsteady due to drunkenness.
He took Pei Yubai's hand and led him to his bedroom in the back.
He stopped by the bedside, raised his hand, and cast a cleansing spell on himself, cleaning himself up.
Then he fell backward, sinking into the blankets. He closed his eyes, and his breathing quickly became heavy.
Pei Yubai stood by the bed, looking at him. He squatted down, took off Qiguan Yuan's shoes, and pulled the blanket up to cover his shoulders.
Pei Yubai straightened up, turned around and walked out of the bedroom, through the main room, and into the courtyard.
He drew a bucket of water from the well, carried it to the room in the backyard where Qiguan Yuan usually bathed, added hot water, and began to take a bath.
He glanced down at his left chest, carefully avoiding the ink stain, and washed the rest of his body clean.