Chapter 142

Xu Ran left Qin Shuwu’s house for Zhuo Yun, who also liked playing Chinese chess and found it quite interesting. It was completely different from the exhausting Go.

Most importantly, when playing Chinese chess, there were times that Qin Shuwen couldn’t win and refused to admit his failure shamelessly. This was rarely seen, which made Xu Ran happy.

Xu Ran sold 30 sets on his own, and Qin Shuwu helped him sell about 50 sets of them, plus the 10 sets he would like to give Lin Hua and Zhao Chen, so there were only 20 sets left.

Xu Ran revealed his request to Zhuo Yun; since Zhuo Yun’s family had a long history of living in the town, there must be friends and acquaintances, and Zhuo Yun agreed without hesitation, but he said that he would go to Xu Ran’s house for the Chinese New Year.

There was no one in his family and only one chef in the kitchen, whose cooking skills were not as good as Xu Ran. During the Spring Festival, one naturally preferred delicacies, so going to Xu Ran’s house would be the best choice.

Xu Ran did not mind that, but he remembered that traditionally it would be better to stay in one’s own house for New Year’s Eve.

Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun, “Are you really not gonna spend New Year’s Eve in your house? Though I’m fine with that if you’ve made the decision, for me it’s nothing but to prepare extra chopsticks and bowls.”

Zhuo Yun waved his hand. “It’s okay, I don’t have that many taboos. My parents are gone and most of the servants have been sent away. I guess there would be just me, Shuwen and a kid who can’t speak yet. The more people there are, the better it would be to celebrate the New Year. I’ve thought about this and Shuwen is okay with it as well, we are just waiting for your yes.”

Xu Ran said, “Sure, If you come to my house for the New Year, then come on the day before the Eve and live here till the second day of the Spring Festival, and on that morning we can go to visit Sworn Daddy together.”

“Alright, that’s settled. I’ll sell the Chinese chess for you. Don’t worry, just prepare enough food lest it’s not enough for us.”

Xu Ran snorted, “Hey, are you saying that I will not let you eat enough?”

After a while of joking with each other, Xu Ran went home. He was going to go to the town again tomorrow and send the dried bamboo shoots as well as potatoes to Mr. Chen. Besides these goods, he would also send Qin Shuwu some sausages. But the bacon probably needs to wait for the next year. However, he would give Qin Shuwu some recipes that he might find someone to cook as per at home.

The following events would be receiving Lin Hua and his relatives on the 20th, throwing a one-month-old celebration party for little Baozi on the 25th, then inviting some friends to dinner, and resting a few days to celebrate the Spring Festival. Xu Ran felt that this year was more tiring than every year he had been through.

However, he was also very happy. He had a family, kids and friends, and a somewhat successful career.

Wait! There was still the one-hundred-day celebration party for little Qinshu in Zhuo Yun’s family.

Xu Ran patted his head. It was already the 15th of the lunar December today, so it must be close. However, Zhuo Yun didn’t mention it at all, so he forgot about it. The worse was that he had forgotten when little Qingshu was born.

And no one else seemed to have told him, either.

Xu Ran was planning to ask Liu Tong, but when he got back, Shao Yu told him that Liu Tong and the little Baozi were asleep.

Xu Ran decided to ask about it in the evening.

So Xu Ran went to find Tangtang and Guoguo.

Tangtang and Guoguo used not to go out when it was cold. At first, it was because their clothes were too thin to keep warm outside. Later, it was because even if they went out, they had no one else to play with. However, they didn’t spend too much time at home nowadays.

They went out every day, either to play with other children in the village or to go to the mountain with Gao Quan.

Gao Quan went to the mountain so often that he was even more familiar with the mountain than Liu Tong was. The reason was unclear since Gao Quan didn’t talk about it, and Xu Ran didn’t ask.

Tangtang and Guoguo was not at home, Shao Yu said that they followed Gao Quan to the mountain.

It had not been snowing or raining for the past few days but the wind was strong. Xu Ran wrapped himself tightly and decided to go to the mountain to find them.

When they went out, they usually took two dogs with them. Xu Ran would know where they were by just calling the dogs’ name.

“Peach, Plum…” Xu Ran shouted a few times after he went up the mountain; then he heard the woof of two dogs.

Tangtang and Guoguo heard it too. Tangtang tugged on Gao Quan’s clothes and said, “Uncle Gao, my Dad is here. I’ll let Peach and Plun bring him over.”

Gao Quan nodded.

Tangtang patted on the dogs’ heads and said, “Peach and Plum, bring Dad over.”

The two dogs barked twice and ran away. Tangtang, Guoguo and Gao Quan came to help find herbs. Gao Quan meant to take a medicated bath for Tangtang after finding the herbs. It would be beneficial for both of them and could prevent them from poison. However, he had talked about it with Tangtang and Guoguo but not with Xu Ran yet.

He used to go up the mountain alone. Later, Tangtang and Guoguo accidentally saw him collecting the herbs. He didn’t hide it anymore and told Tangtang and Guoguo everything.

The two children didn’t read many books, but they heard a lot of stories from Xu Ran, so they could even understand what the medicated bath was. From then on, Gao Quan brought them up the mountain and also taught them to recognize herbs.

Xu Ran came over soon following Peach and Plum. When seeing that Gao Quan was carrying a packbasket with quite a lot of grass on his back, Xu Ran asked, “Gao Quan, what are you looking for? The grass has withered in the winter. Can you still find it?”

Gao Quan said, “Some herbs can only be found in winter, and I have almost found them.”

“Herbs?” Xu Ran was confused. “Why are you looking for herbs?”

“I’m going to make a medicated bath for Tangtang and Guoguo,” Gao Quan said seriously.

Xu Ran knew what the medicated bath was, but he didn’t understand why Gao Quan suddenly wanted to gave the two children a medicated bath and looked for herbs on his own.

Gao Quan looked at Xu Ran’s suspicious expression and added, “I won’t harm Tangtang and Guoguo. I swear to God.”

Xu Ran did not believe in swear, but Gao Quan indeed did.

Hearing Gao Quan’s words, Xu Ran said clearly, “I know that it’s bad to doubt you, but I have to consider my children’s safety. If you just wanted to make experiments with them, you won’t be so careful. But I can’t allow anything bad to happen to my children. When you get all the herbs, give them to me first. I’ll go find a doctor checking on the herbs and if everything is okay. Then, they can take the bath. Alright?”

Gao Quan nodded. “No problem. You’re doing it for Guoguo’s and Tangtang’s benefit.”

Tangtang and Guoguo could only look at the two adults talking. After being ignored for a while, they unhappily tugged on their clothes, one on each side.

Guoguo protested frustratingly, “Dad, every time you come, you talk to others first and don’t care about us.” H looked extremely aggrieved.

Xu Ran picked him up and kissed him on his clean face. “Dad’s bad, in the future I will talk to you first, okay?”

Guoguo immediately smiled and touched Xu Ran’s face. “Don’t forget my elder brother, either.”

Xu Ran lowered his head and saw that Tangtang was also looking at him eagerly.

Both the children had gained some weight. Xu Ran couldn’t hold them both at the same time. So he could only hold each of them one for a while and followed Gao Quan looking for green plants.

In Xu Ran’s eyes, all the green things looked pretty much the same, so he didn’t know which were herbs and which were not. Even the two kids were better at it than him.

Tangtang and Guoguo could recognize a lot of weeds after being with Gao Quan. They knew the names of many of the weeds that Xu Ran grabbed.

Xu Ran touched his head indicating his embarrassment for he couldn’t set the children an example.

Fortunately, although Xu Ran didn’t know anything about the herbs, Tangtang and Guoguo didn’t show any dislike. Xu Ran made up his mind that he would learn to recognize herbs with Gao Quan. Even if he couldn’t trick Tangtang and Guoguo, he could trick little Baozi when he grew up.

That was really ambitious of him.

Gao Quan knew a lot about herbs. He had more than ten kinds of herbs in the packbasket, although for each kind, there were only one or two plants.

Xu Ran asked him, “Gao Quan, we just entered the mountain. Can you find something good here? How about going deeper?”

Gao Quan shook his head. “No, there must be wild animals in the deep mountains in winter. It’s not safe for Tangtang and Guoguo to go inside, so I just need to take a look in the outskirts area. There are also some of them outside, only not too many.”

With such thorough consideration, Xu Ran thought of his doubt on Gao Quan and felt sorry, but his idea would not change.

They only returned home when it was almost dark. Shao Yu had just finished his meal and waited for him.

While eating, Mr. Hu told Xu Ran, “Ran, the meat needs to be hung up to get smoked. I saw there was salt water seeping through the meat, and it’s not good to put there too long.”

Xu Ran said, “I have to go to the town tomorrow. Let’s hang up the meat together the day after tomorrow. Gao Quan, see if you can put up another shelf. The meat is heavier than the sausages, and we can’t hang too much on one shelf.”

Gao Quan was concentrated on his meal. After hearing Xu Ran’s words, he swallowed the rice and raised his head, “Then I’ll put up a bigger shelf next year. Fortunately, there are extra wooden sticks at home.”

“Sure, it’s up to you. By the way, the one-hundred-day celebration party for little Qinshu in Zhuo Yun’s family is close. Are you guys going?”

Mr. Hu was the first to speak. “I won’t go. There’s so much meat that needs to be smoked.”

The bacon indeed needed to be watched over. Xu Ran nodded and asked Shao Yu and Gao Quan, “What about you, Shao Yu, Gao Quan?”

Shao Yu said, “I’m not going, either. Liu Tong hasn’t gone through his confinement of the birth yet, so there’s no one at home to cook. I’ll have to cook at home.”

Gao Quan went wherever Shao Yu went. Therefore, he didn’t need to answer Xu Ran.

Tangtang and Guoguo, who was sitting obediently for dinner, looked eager. Xu Ran smiled and asked them, “Do you want to go?”

The two children nodded and Tangtang said, “Dad, we heard that there is a lot of fun in the town. We want to go and see.”

“There is recently. Fine, you can go with me and take a look.”

“Okay.”

The two children were obviously happy after Xu Ran agreed, which could be seen when each of them ate an extra half bowl of rice.