CH 81

Back to the Countryside

Chapter 81:胎动

[Fetal movement]

As he was going out for a very long trip this time, Qi Yue visited Lin Sheng’s house and Xu Hua’s house after he had packed all the things he wanted to take with him. He gave Lin Sheng the key to his house so he could help him look after the livestock.

The two families were surprised to learn that he was leaving for several months. This decision of his was indeed a little too sudden. He said that they were going to go then go, leaving them unprepared.

But no matter how surprised they were, since they were going for a long journey, they wished the other party well and everything went smoothly on their journey. Regarding everything in their house, they would help him properly take care of it so that he would not have to worry.

What should be prepared was already prepared. Tomorrow the four of them left Gu Shui village by carriage early in the morning. They only stop in the town for a while to buy something to eat on the way, and then hurriedly continue their way.

The furthest He Ling had ever been was the town. Now they were going to an even more distant place, he still felt a little excited and couldn’t resist the urge to lift the curtain and look outside.

For the umpteenth time, Qi Yue tugged his hand back and held it in his hand to keep it warm. Helplessly, he said, “If you really want to see it, you can do so when we get to a lively place. Here, still in the middle of a deserted mountain, there’s nothing new and interesting here.”

“I just feel curious!” He Ling let him hold his hand and smiled shyly, “This is the first time I’ve been out for a long trip!”

“Once we’ve solved my Shifu’s affairs, we’ll wander around more before we go back!” After warming up the person’s hand, Qi Yue helped him to adjust the soft pillow behind his waist, “Is it uncomfortable?”

In order to make He Ling more comfortable on the way, he had not only spread many layers of thick bedding in the carriage but also put several soft pillows and cushions, so that whether he wanted to sit or lie down, he wouldn’t feel too bad.

“No!” What he sat underneath him and leaned behind him were all something soft so how could it be uncomfortable? He glanced out of the carriage again and said, “Is it really alright if we don’t use our carriage (the carriage with Mu Yan is)?”

Qi Yue smiled and dropped another piece of carbon into the small stove (furnace) and replied, “Don’t worry! Mu Yan is very smart. It will follow us obediently.”

Shen Juming’s carriage was leading the way so his Mu Yan would not get lost as he followed behind them. They had often travelled like this before. In fact, even if they didn’t do it this way, Mu Yan would have been able to find his way back to the valley on his own. He had a very good memory.

“I sometimes think Mu Yan doesn’t even look like a horse, but like a child!” Mu Yan was really such a good horse! He liked to act as a spoiled child and throw a tantrum. Moreover, he was a very clever one.

Qi Yue who was caressing his belly hearing this then said, “He’s probably smarter than the average child!”

Actually he got Mu Yan accidentally, he had just turned 15 years old at that time. In a horse market, he saw him being abused by the horse trader, starving and a mere skeleton, tethered by a few ropes. Even after being whipped, his eyes were full of unyielding. Mu Yan kept lifting his hooves and struggling to get free.

It was because he was so fierce and always couldn’t get him tamed that he could not be sold. That was also why the horse trader always beat him, didn’t give him food to eat, trying to change his unbending backbone — proud and unyielding character.

Unfortunately, a horse like Mu Yan would never submit to this and would only become more and more stubborn. At that time, Qi Yue already took a fancy at Mu Yan with just a glance and bought him back at a cost of silver.

At first the horse wouldn’t let him get close, always tossing his head and resisting his touch. He was not in a hurry at all, proceeded in an orderly way and advanced step by step. He took it easy. He would occasionally sleep with him in the horse’s house, bring him some good wine to drink together with him when he found out that he liked it and he would also take him to the open and spacious areas of the valley so Mu Yan could run around there while he stood and watched, never trying to climb his arrogant back.

As the time went on, Mu Yan’s precautions toward him relaxed and loosened a lot. He then would let him stroke his head and brush his back, until one day he was willing to carry him along on his back.

Rather than being his horse, Mu Yan was more like his best friend, so when he left the valley he took nothing with him but only took Mu Yan along with him because Mu Yan would not submit to anyone except himself (QY).

Now, he has his little Fu Lang beside him too. Actually he had always been quite surprised about this matter, how the disobedient Mu Yan was willing to let the other party (HL) get close to him?

Perhaps the more astute he was, the more he was attracted to the simple one, just as he was. In this aspect, Mu Yan was really similar to him.

He laughed softly, causing He Ling to glance at him, “Xiang Gong, what are you thinking about? Why are you so happy?”

“I’m thinking about something from the past!” Qi Yue reached out his hands and took him into his embrace, adjusting his position to make him more comfortable, “Once Mu Yan stole several jars of wine from me and got so drunk that he fell headfirst into the pool. It took me a lot of effort to drag him out of there!”

He Ling blinked, imagining the situation in his mind, and couldn’t help laughing out loud as he leaned over his chest, that handsome and outstanding horse had turned into a drenched chicken. (落汤鸡 : drenched and bedraggled / soaked through/ like a drowned rat)

The diligent and hard-working Mu Yan who hurried on with his journey had not the slightest idea at all that his master had already revealed all his embarrassing stories while he was working so hard, just trying to win a laugh from a beauty.

After several days of coming and going, stopping and driving the carriage in hurry, they finally arrived at a (not small one) town. On that very day, they finally had a place to rest.

This city was naturally different from the small town. It was much more prosperous. Most of the passersby were well dressed. Cows, donkeys and other similar animals were less common than horses, with just one look, they could tell that life here was exceedingly good.

When they entered the inn, they drew a lot of glances from the passersby. They were all distinguished in appearance and dressed in luxurious clothes which was rare even in this prosperous and busy city, so naturally people could not help but look at them twice and guess their identity.

They asked for three main rooms and ordered some food to be delivered to their rooms. Therefore, they ignored the whispers of the people and went upstairs.

The horse carriage, no matter how comfortably furnished, was still a carriage, and after a bumpy ride on it, He Ling’s back was unbearably aching; he was put to rest on the bed once he entered the room.

Qi Yue frowned and rubbed his waist as he felt distress for him. If it wasn’t something bad happened to his Shifu, no matter what he would never have gone on this journey for no reason, and let his Fu Lang follow him endured the rough time.

He Ling stretched out his index finger and gently pressed it on the space between his eyebrows, smiling as he said, “Don’t frown! You don’t look good at all (like this).”

“Good, you even dare to dislike your husband now!” Qi Yue put his hand and grabbed it into his hand, put it to his lips and kissed it, and gently bit it twice as punishment.

His bite didn’t hurt at all, it even tickled a little. He Ling drew back his hand and curled his eyebrows with a smile, “Don’t bite anymore, it tickles!”

Qi Yue persistently did not let him go, holding his hand tightly and kissing him on each of his fingers, “Who let you actually dare to dislike your husband?!”

“Eh …” He Ling , whose face lit up with smiles, suddenly let out a muffled grunt and changed his expression. He curled his body, looking a little in pain.

“What’s wrong?!” Qi Yue also changed his expression, subconsciously grabbed his wrist first but he found that the pulse was stable so he quickly took the person into his embrace and asked urgently, “Where do you feel unwell?

He Ling’s expression was somewhat dumbfounded. It was only when the other party asked him again that he grabbed his hand and placed it on his stomach with a face full of joy and said, “Xiang Gong, the baby moved. He has moved just now!

Hearing his words, Qi Yue was also stunned. It was only when another tiny vibration came from beneath his palm that he came back to his senses. A smile revealed on his face while he carefully felt his belly which was no longer moving inside. The existence of this child began to become distinct in his heart.

“Xiang Gong, he’s growing up a little.” He Ling shifted his body and rested his head on the other person’s lap, his hands touched his, “I’m really looking forward to the day he’s born!”

Qi Yue flipped his palm and interlocked his ten fingers together, looking down at his soft brow. In a gentle voice, he said,”Our child will be the best in this world!”

Both of them had lost their parents when they were young, one experienced hardship in Jiang Hu, the other one lodge under another person’s roof [Idiom for: to live relying on someone else’s charity] so neither of them had ever felt what it was like to be fully loved and pampered as they grew up.

Things that belonged to their child, he must have a lot of goodness, to live willfully, freely and at ease. They wanted to be the best parents for him, to give him the most complete and happy family.

The first fetal movement of the baby made the couple excited for a while, until the young waiter came up to deliver the food, then they put the matter aside for a while. No matter what, they still had to eat.

After he had eaten, Qi Yue told the others to sit down and take a rest. He himself opened the door and asked the young waiter to boil some bathing water and send it to his room. It was for A Ling who had been tired all day along to have a nice hot bath so he would feel even more comfortable.

While he was ordering, a girl in a red dress came up from the stairs. She had a beautiful face and a dagger in her hand, which added a touch of martial bearing. She was followed by a man and a woman.They were both dressed in similar style.

When Qi Yue heard the movement, he looked over and met her face to face. The girl was stunned before it changed into surprise and full of joy. She walked over to him and said, “Qi Gongzi, what are you doing here?”

Qi Yue was also a little surprised to see her, “I was on my way and came here to rest and stay for the night, but I didn’t expect to meet an old friend!”

This girl’s name is Lin Yuxue, a disciple of the Hidden Detached Palace. He had met her a few times before but like Xiao Yu Heng, he was not really familiar with her. But in the other party’s heart, she didn’t seem to think the same at all.

“Qi Gongzi has disappeared from Jiang Hu without a trace for half a year, where did you go?” When Lin Yuxue saw his smiling face, she had on her the young maiden’s delicate attitude as she blushed slightly and asked him where he had gone.

The two people who came here together with her also came over at this moment. They clasped their fists to him as a greeting, obviously not unfamiliar with him either. They were also the disciples of the Hidden Detached Palace, Lin Yuxue’s Shi Xiong and Shi Jie. These three had come together to attend to the affairs of the sect.

Qi Yue gave them a nod first before looking at the person in front of him again, without going into details and simply said, “I only do some of my own matters.”

Lin Yuxue didn’t look deeper, it was normal for people in the Jiang Hu to have some secrets of their own. If she had to pry into everything, it would surely annoy the other party, “Qi Gongzi, are you going back to the valley now?

Qi Yue nodded his head and said, “Exactly.”

“That’s really great! We can go together!” Lin Yuxue was secretly delighted that the Hidden Detached Palace was in the same direction as the Qi Du Valley. She needed to return to the palace tomorrow to report back on her completed mission. She and he could travel together for some time.

She, having those maiden’s feelings and harboring the amorous thoughts of spring (love) was naturally clear to Qi Yue. In the past, he had no intention of responding to her and even more now. So he did not answer her words and only said, “You all must be tired from the long journey, so please go back to your rooms earlier and rest ba!”

Lin Yuxue however did not see the meaning behind his refusal, she only pleased with his gentleness and thoughtfulness, “Many thanks for your concern, Qi Gongzi! You too should rest early! We will see you early in the morning!”

Even though in her heart, she actually wanted to talk to him more but he must have been on the road for all day, so it would be not sensible of her if she kept pestering him. Anyway, she still had plenty of time since they would travel together.

As the three of them returned to their own rooms, Qi Yue slightly wrinkled his brow. This was indeed troublesome (a bother)!