UCTOOT CH62.1

Walking out the door, Shi Shu accompanied Du Zihan to the woodshed. He rubbed the tip of his nose. “Big Daddy Bro looks at people like he’s looking at dogs. His gaze is so lethal.”

Shi Shu: “His gaze has always been like that. A rich family’s bro before transmigration, a king of involution dad after. But his face wasn’t usually so sour… maybe he’s in a bad mood recently.”

Du Zihan had already consoled himself. “It’s really fine. After a year of being transmigrated, I can be a dog for anyone. The sense of hierarchy is already clear.”

Shi Shu: “No, that’s going too far.”

“It’s okay. Do you play games? No master player will speak to you in a gentle voice. It’s a fact that capable people have bad tempers, unless you’re a cute girl or have value to them. Just have the right mindset to be a big shot’s dog.”

Shi Shu: “But he’s been pretty good to me.”

Du Zihan: “Hey, maybe you’re the first transmigrator he met?”

Shi Shu was really perplexed. Seeing Du Zihan yawn, he patted his shoulder. “You rest first, I’ll go back and ask.”

Du Zihan: “Alright, I’m really tired. Brother, let’s talk later when we have time. I’ve finally found my kin!”

Shi Shu took the food and, remembering Xie Wuchi’s instructions, kept the conversation brief and returned to the room. His mind was full of Xie Wuchi’s merciless reprimand. Recalling his expression and posture, his toe kicked the threshold.

Was it necessary? Why was his tone so bad? Du Zihan is just a modern companion. Isn’t it good to have one more person for company?

The room was dim. Fine snow fell outside the window. The room was a nest in the cold winter day. The lamps were not lit. Shi Shu took out a fire starter and lit the lamp. He turned around, and Xie Wuchi was sitting in the shadows, dressed in clothes the color of pale moonlight.

Shi Shu asked with a smile, “What’s wrong, bro? Why were you so angry just now?”

Shi Shu discovered that this big man, Xie Wuchi, would occasionally have such a temper. After speaking, he walked to his side. “He’s asleep in the woodshed. Of course, I won’t get close to him. But why did you talk to him like that? Even if you don’t get along, you don’t have to make it so awkward.”

Xie Wuchi: “To prevent him from getting in my way in the future, I set the boundaries first.”

Shi Shu clicked his tongue. “So cold-hearted. Can we discuss it? Can you be a little nicer to him on the surface? We can still be friends in the future.”

Xie Wuchi looked at him, paused for a moment, and then said, “Shi Shu, stand on my side.”

Shi Shu was baffled for a moment. “Am I not on your side?”

Xie Wuchi: “In the future, always.”

Before Shi Shu could understand this perplexing sentence, Xie Wuchi untied the ribbon binding his hair and took off his outer robe, instantly changing into just an undergarment. He went to the bed and lay down.

“Come on, let’s sleep.”

Shi Shu was still perplexed, his mind full of question marks as he climbed onto the bed. Not to mention, with Du Zihan’s modern presence, he was suddenly reminded of this not-so-normal relationship. Just as Shi Shu was about to refuse, a hand was placed on his waist, pulling him into an embrace.

“…”

The next morning, Shi Shu just went to the stables to see Laicai. When he came back, Du Zihan had already shouldered his bundle and was walking out of the station.

Shi Shu called out to him, “What’s wrong?”

Du Zihan said, “Taiyin Prefecture? Alright, I’ll go over and set things up right away. Okay, okay, okay, bro!”

Shi Shu watched as this friend he had known for only a day put on a bamboo hat, adapted to his new identity as Xie Wuchi’s subordinate, boarded an ox cart outside the door, and swayed away in the wind and snow.

Shi Shu chewed on a steamed bun. “Xie Wuchi, what did you send him to do?”

“To buy a house and land in Taiyin Prefecture, and to set up a residence. It’s no good for him to travel with us.”

Shi Shu’s mouth was soft. He thought that today he had planned to chat with Du Zihan until dark. With this arrangement, the person was immediately gone.

Beside them, a horse sneezed. The crowd, awakening in the cold winter morning, all said, “Let’s go, time to hit the road.”

On the last leg of the journey, on the eve of the New Year, the group stopped in a small town sixty li from Taiyin Prefecture, called Yu County. It was located in a small valley between two mountains and was said to be the largest pass in the vicinity.

Shi Shu stood on the street, buffeted by the wind and sand. He had walked from one end of the town to the other in half an hour, his eyes unable to open from the yellow sand and snow. He thought, this place is really a godforsaken hole.

The houses in the town were all built of mud. Dust filled the air. But with the New Year approaching, red paper was pasted on the doors and windows of every household. Red ribbons hung from the bare branches of the trees. The ground in front of the temples dedicated to gods and Buddhas was covered with red paper. A procession for the gods passed by, followed by a few children in new clothes. The atmosphere was lively.

The chains dragged on the ground. Unexpectedly, in these last sixty li, Xie Wuchi had fallen seriously ill.

Shi Shu wiped his sweat from time to time. “Xie Wuchi, we’ll be at the inn to rest soon.”

Entering the door, Xie Wuchi’s steps were unsteady. Seeing his poor condition on the road, his cangue had been removed. Now, his shackles and handcuffs were also taken off. He quickly told Shi Shu to go out and buy medicine.

“Medicine, medicine, medicine,” Shi Shu was burning with anxiety. He found the only pharmacy in town. “Winter melon peel and angelica root, ginger, aconite, to boil in a soup for frostbite. Also, medicine for treating typhoid.”

The owner was slow. “I have the herbs, but they’ve all been reserved by the military officers in town. There’s some left. Do you have money?”

Shi Shu took out a piece of silver. “Of course, I have plenty of money.”

The owner glanced at him up and down. “Hehe, I just saw your group come over. You’re with that criminal. He’s already an exiled criminal. Don’t tell me this is fake?”

Shi Shu “clanged!” the silver onto the counter, his anger flaring instantly. “I told you to get the medicine, so get the medicine! Where’s all this nonsense coming from!”

The owner took the silver, bit it with his teeth, and only then said, “Looks like real money. You little thing, did you steal it or rob it?”

Hearing this, Shi Shu, filled with an unknown anger, kicked the rectangular counter, making the wooden counter move with a thud. Before the owner could speak again, Shi Shu slapped another piece of silver down. “Silver, silver, the thing you want! Is it enough! Don’t care where it came from, it’s twenty times more conscientious than your selling price over your cost price! If it’s enough, hurry up and get the medicine! Isn’t it just money? Once you’ve got it, I’ll reward you again!”

The owner was frightened by his frantic state and wrapped the medicine in paper. Shi Shu was still cursing, “I told you to get the medicine, and you dare to bark like a dog here! Calling others thieves? What right do you have to say that!”

The owner, holding the silver, showed a sheepish smile. “Sir, if it’s not enough, come back again.”

The anger in Shi Shu’s heart did not dissipate. He had been bitten for no reason. He grabbed the medicine packets and turned to leave the pharmacy. His heart was filled with an indescribable bitterness and hatred.

Xie Wuchi’s inflammation and fever might be related to the frostbite on his body. The further they walked, the colder it got, the harder it was to keep warm, especially since he was constantly wearing a cangue. Shi Shu rushed in the door, quickly set up the stove to brew the medicinal soup. As for the others, they were pooling some money to buy a good meal to celebrate this New Year’s Eve.

Xu Erlang said, “Xiao Xie, we’ve pooled some money and are planning to buy a sheep to roast and another to stew. Do you want in?”

Shi Shu: “I’m in too, but are there any fresh vegetables and fruits here? Can we buy some for my brother to eat?”

Xu Erlang: “I’m going to a farmer’s house to buy a sheep in a bit. I’ll ask for you.”

“Thanks. Here’s the money for you.”

Shi Shu handed him the money. Xu Erlang and a few guards went out. The group was escorting a criminal, and although there were times they bickered, the atmosphere became more harmonious during the festival.

Unknowingly, it was almost the New Year. Time passed so quickly. Shi Shu felt quite emotional, but he was too busy right now. One pot was brewing soup, another was brewing medicine. The water was from crushed ice. There was also another pot of boiling water for Xie Wuchi. Shi Shu spun around like a top, rushing into the room with the medicinal soup.

“The medicine’s here, the medicine’s here! Xie Wuchi, just hold on a little longer. Come on, come on, let’s soak and wash the wounds first. On a big New Year’s like this, who gets so seriously ill like you? You poor child.”

Xie Wuchi sat in a chair, covered with a quilt by Shi Shu. The kang bed in the shop would only be heated at night; it was currently ice-cold. Shi Shu soaked a cloth in the medicinal soup and wiped Xie Wuchi’s arm.

Shi Shu breathed a sigh of relief. “The frostbite isn’t festering, just large areas of red, swollen skin. We can soak it in the medicinal soup to dissolve the bruised blood. Let’s soak your hands first, then your feet.”

Shi Shu bent down to take off his shoes and pressed his legs into the wooden basin. Throughout the process, Xie Wuchi barely moved, letting Shi Shu tend to him. He was in the midst of a severe headache, his eyes closed, his handsome face pale, with no other movements.

Shi Shu said, “I’ve read novels before. Even Wu Song almost died from frostbite. You must be in a lot of pain now, right? It’s okay, it’s okay, we’ll get better after taking the medicine.”

Shi Shu wiped his calves with the medicinal soup. There was a large dark area of frostbite. Xie Wuchi was panting, the veins on his neck bulging, seemingly in great pain.

“Here, drink some water.” Shi Shu let him soak. After washing his hands, he saw the water had boiled. He waited for it to cool and then brought it to Xie Wuchi’s mouth. He saw him breathing slowly, sipping the water bit by bit, water flowing from the corner of his mouth.

Shi Shu: “Xie Wuchi, you seem to have a leak in your chin, drinking and leaking at the same time.”

Just feeding him water, he would drink and it would spill from the corner of his mouth. Wiping and feeding, it took almost fifteen minutes to finish that small half-bowl. Xie Wuchi had a headache and couldn’t open his eyes. Shi Shu wiped the wetness from the corner of his eyes again.

“I really don’t know how you would survive without me.” Shi Shu’s just-washed arm quickly became cold. Shi Shu tucked his hand into his own clothes for warmth and sat with him on the couch.

“It’s really bad luck from the heavens, making you sick on New Year’s. But it’s not a big problem. I’m here, don’t be afraid.”

Outside the door was this small border town in the wind and snow.

Desolate, bleak.

As Shi Shu comforted him, some thoughts also came to his mind: I finally met a Du Zihan, and he’s also a beggar on the road. Is this what transmigration is?

“Sleep, sleep, get more rest to save your strength and speed up your metabolism.”

Shi Shu struggled to support this 190cm person with his 178cm body, wiping the sweat from his forehead from time to time, so that Xie Wuchi could fall asleep.

In the afternoon, Xu Erlang and the group came into the courtyard with a sheep. The master was sharpening a knife outside to slaughter it. Xu Erlang brought a bundle in. “I asked around for you in the nearby villages. There are some frozen pears, red dates, and hawthorns, radishes and bok choy. There are no fresh fruits and vegetables this season. You can make something for your brother to eat.”

“Thank you, thank you. My brother really needs vitamins right now.”

Xu Erlang: “What vitamins?”

Shi Shu: “You wouldn’t understand. I’ll tell you later.”

Shi Shu carried a bundle of what could barely be called fresh vegetables and fruits into the room. Xie Wuchi was still in a deep sleep with his eyes closed. Shi Shu broke the hawthorn into small pieces and put it in Xie Wuchi’s mouth, but as soon as he seemed to taste it, he spat it out.

Shi Shu: “Why aren’t you eating?”

“Sour.”

Xie Wuchi half-opened his eyes, leaned closer, and gently rubbed Shi Shu’s jaw.

“…”

A ripple inexplicably stirred in Shi Shu’s heart. He uncomfortably lowered his head to look at the hawthorn again and stuffed it into his mouth. “Eat a few pieces even if it’s sour. Eat some.”

But as soon as it was brought to his lips, Xie Wuchi spat it out again.

“………”

Shi Shu understood. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Who has a temper like you when they’re sick? Tell me, what do you want.”

Xie Wuchi’s nose rubbed against him again. With a fever, his whole body was very hot.

“I’ll give you one more chance.” Shi Shu took another small piece, pried open his mouth, put it in, and gently rubbed it on his lips. He didn’t let go of his hand. Xie Wuchi held the piece of hawthorn and chewed slowly.

His palm was very hot. He wouldn’t let Shi Shu let go. The moment he let go, he stopped chewing. To be honest, as a straight man, Shi Shu had never seen a man like Xie Wuchi who needed to be coaxed, comforted, and followed. If not for his good impression, he would have turned and left long ago, not serving him.

Looking at him, he couldn’t help but remember when he was a child and got sick and had to take medicine. It was also a mess.

Madam Bo Mo would pinch his chin and say, “Drink it with boiling water, swallow it in one gulp.”

But little Bookbag would chew the pill into powder, then vomit from the bitterness, lying on the ground, crying wildly. Madam Bo Mo tried everything to stop him but couldn’t. She could only quickly hold him, give him boiling water to drink, pat his back to coax him, and rinse his mouth.

He had been spoiled by his parents since he was a child. Shi Shu had been naughty enough as a child, so now he was relatively normal.

But Xie Wuchi had to be touched by Shi Shu to be even slightly obedient.

“Did no one coax you when you were a child? Or were you spoiled, so now you have a bad temper? Xie Wuchi, you really think I’ll give in to you, don’t you?”

Shi Shu looked carefully at Xie Wuchi’s face, put another half-piece in his mouth, his fingertips brushing against his lips to prevent Xie Wuchi from spitting it out. But as he caressed him, a feeling of pity arose.

…So obedient.

If Xie Wuchi were a girl, he might be quite pleasing to the eye. But what man could have thoughts while holding a 190cm male model? You’d only feel inferior from the male competition, right?

Shi Shu quickly waved away these messy thoughts. But for fun, he gently pinched his nose. “I used to call you ‘Dad,’ now it should be your turn to call me ‘Dad,’ right?”

“So what is our relationship now?”

The clenching of teeth would involve the nerves. When you have a headache, any slight movement can aggravate it. Xie Wuchi’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. Shi Shu broke the hawthorn into even smaller pieces, making sure Xie Wuchi swallowed it all.

It was very lively outside the door. Many people were watching the sheep being slaughtered. Shi Shu could vaguely see the skinned sheep hide. A group of people were washing the mutton, setting up a rack to roast it, and laughter rang out.

“I really want to watch the sheep being slaughtered. I’ve watched so many videos, I can finally see it with my own eyes. But there’s still a person here to serve.”

Shi Shu’s fingertips were still on Xie Wuchi’s cheek. “So lively! When you get better, we’ll go outside the pass. I hear there are herds of cattle and sheep here. We’ll go see them too, and eat roasted mutton.”

Xie Wuchi heard him and seemed to nod gently.

“Don’t nod. Don’t talk, just sleep.”

Shi Shu wiped the sweat from his forehead again.

As he spoke, Shi Shu also became a little sleepy and leaned against Xie Wuchi to sleep. Until the room darkened, Shi Shu woke up with a start, gave Xie Wuchi half a bowl of water, and went out to find Xu Erlang and the group.

These eunuchs, guards, and bailiffs had long been happily waiting for the New Year. The table was full of wine and cured meat. The flames in the pot and on the rack were blazing.

Roasted mutton, radish stewed with mutton. A large pot of thick white soup was bubbling. The seasonings were not as rich as in the prosperous south. Coarse salt and spices were thrown in, and it was stewed over a high fire. But the meat and vegetables were in their original flavor. The aroma wafted from the smoke, having a certain rustic charm.

“It’s cooked, we can eat!”

“Try my master’s cooking. He’s traveled all over the country and has the best understanding of food.”

Shi Shu squeezed into the crowd with a bowl, a handsome smile on his face. “Me, me, me, give me a bowl first! I’ll give it to my brother to eat!”

Seeing his bowl filled to the brim, Shi Shu carried the half-bowl of mutton soup into the room and sat down beside Xie Wuchi. “I just got the first bowl. This is for you. It’s fragrant, try it!”

Xie Wuchi was half-asleep. He was fed a few mouthfuls by Shi Shu. He opened his eyes and stared at Shi Shu, asking, “What time is it now?”

Shi Shu: “It’s night.”

Xie Wuchi: “Aren’t you going to eat?”

Shi Shu: “I’ll eat here with you. I’m not going to eat with them.”

Xie Wuchi closed his eyes and became still. His face was handsome, his features distinct, but now it was lifeless. Shi Shu asked him, “Do you want more?”

Xie Wuchi said weakly, “No.”

“Then I’ll drink it.” Shi Shu poured out the rest and then used his chopsticks to break apart the stewed radish.

The others were eating loudly outside, drinking, shouting, laughing. The sounds carried into the room. Shi Shu lit a lamp. The room was cold and cheerless. He propped Xie Wuchi up and fed him spoonful by spoonful.

The man’s body was very large, his waist powerful. Although he had been tormented for these two months, Xie Wuchi had not become thin or weak. Instead, his body bore the marks of being eroded by the wind and frost. After being tempered a thousand times, he was more like a man. No physical torment could truly make him suffer.

It was only at this moment that Shi Shu felt that Xie Wuchi was a man, and he himself was still just a boy. Xie Wuchi’s arms, jaw, shoulders, neck, bones, every part had a sense of maturity and fortitude. Even now, he felt he was just a temporarily resting lion, the muscles under his skin dormant.

Shi Shu remembered him stirring up trouble at Xiangnan Temple, then going to Shukang Prefecture to manage the plague, rushing about non-stop, then advising the emperor and becoming a high-ranking court official in one leap, using thunderous methods to seize land benefits from the wealthy. But such a person could now only be in a small, windswept town on the border, sick and being fed by Shi Shu.

Shi Shu thought for a moment and smiled. “Unlucky bastard.”

Thinking about this transmigration, Shi Shu could laugh for a few minutes.

A tragic laugh.

As Shi Shu was laughing lazily, Xie Wuchi opened his eyes and happened to see Shi Shu’s curved eyebrows.

Don’t accept it.

That’s right, don’t accept fate.

Xie Wuchi took Shi Shu’s hand. The veins on his arm were distinct, his skin tone different from Shi Shu’s. His hands were powerful, the kind that could strangle someone’s neck.

Shi Shu said with a smile, “It’s funny to think about it now. Xie Wuchi, you have to get better, defeat all those who have harmed you. You are the most amazing.”

Xie Wuchi took a breath and leaned close to Shi Shu’s ear. “Mmm.”

Shi Shu: “What are you going to do?”

Xie Wuchi: “Pee.”

Shi Shu took the chamber pot from under the kang. “Uh, you can do this yourself. I won’t help you. It’s a bit…”

Xie Wuchi: “Help me.”

“…”

Shi Shu was silent and reached out to undo his heavy clothing.

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