CH 7

C7 – A Group of Men Were Bathing in the River!

The young man silently washed himself before laying down facing the wall, presenting Tang Yue with an elegant back view.

Tang Yue eventually drifted off to sleep while watching him, and when he woke up, the sun had already risen, and the air was filled with the refreshing aroma of rain-soaked earth.

The ancient times, with their pristine ecology and zero pollution, had one redeeming quality in Tang Yue’s eyes. If he could make his life more comfortable here, he wouldn’t mind staying since there wasn’t much he missed from his previous life.

When he turned to look, he saw Hu Jinpeng behind the young man, combing his hair while half-kneeling. Tang Yue was a little repulsed by the sight of a burly man with a stubble-covered face handling someone’s hair. He couldn’t imagine how much it must have hurt.

Despite this, he still took a moment to admire the young man’s beauty before heading to the river to wash up. However, what he saw when he arrived was shocking – a group of naked men were bathing in the river!

Tang Yue had stopped going to public baths ever since he discovered his sexual orientation wasn’t conventional. He was afraid of getting embarrassed if he lost focus and stared at a man with a good physique.

However, at this moment, the dozen or so naked men with good physiques were indulging in each other’s company. They weren’t even bothering to cover themselves with a cloth, and their eyes sparkled with mischief. Tang Yue’s mind was filled with all kinds of obscene scenes.

Suddenly, one of the men with a cloth tied around his arm called out to him, asking if he wanted to join them in the bath. “Hey, young dandy, want to come down and have a bath with us?”

Yin Xu recognized one of the people who had sustained minor injuries the previous day. After scanning him with his laser eyes, he thought to himself that he should just let it go and not feel inferior.

“Young master, why don’t you come down and bathe with us? I can even massage your back,” said the other person, turning around to reveal that the river only reached his knees. He could see everything from top to bottom.

Tang Yue impatiently closed his eyes and shouted back, “The water is already dirty because of you guys. Why bother washing in it?” He had come early in the morning to provoke the old man, so what did he have to worry about?

He ran upstream and quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face. Tang Yue picked a handful of wild mustard from the river and returned with it. Thanks to his experience in the city, where everyone chased after wild vegetables, he had learned about a few different types.

As he approached, the aroma of rice and meat wafted from the temple. However, the smell was actually coming from Hu Jinpeng’s side, where his Grandpa Shan had caught a wild chicken and was roasting it.

Tang Yue had almost become constipated from eating roast meat every day. He ran over to Hu Jinpeng’s side and snuck a peek at the handsome young man. He noticed that the young man was intently focused on a bamboo slip, with the morning light casting a peaceful and beautiful glow over him.

When the young man raised his head and looked at him skeptically, Tang Yue quickly greeted him with a “Good morning!”

The young man frowned slightly and nodded before lowering his head and returning to his reading.

Tang Yue had already realized that paper had not yet been invented in this era, and everything was written on bamboo slips. He made a mental note to remember how paper was made once he returned home. Life without paper was tough, as even going to the toilet was a challenge.

“Brother Hu, do you have any extra rice? How about two servings? I’ll pay for it!” Tang Yue eagerly asked, squatting beside the small pot and drooling as he gazed at the white porridge.

There was a time when he had fallen so low that he had even drooled over porridge. Life truly was miserable!

Hu Jinpeng was troubled as white rice was scarce, making it difficult to buy even with money. Only he and his master ate white rice in the entire team. However, he decided to give a portion of his own weight to his master, gritting his teeth. “I appreciate you for saving the young dandy yesterday. Consider this as remuneration.”

“How can that be? I’ll pay for it. Let’s buy it and sell it openly,” said Tang Yue, going to the mountain to retrieve the money bag.

“Ten knives for a pound of white rice,” a cold voice spoke from behind him. Tang Yue exclaimed, “What?! So expensive?”

“You can buy ten pounds of rice with one knife.”

Tang Yue’s eyes lit up at the mention of rice. Isn’t that just millet? It would be even better. He quickly handed Hu Jinpeng a knife coin and said, “Sell me 10 pounds of rice, then.”

Hu Jinpeng’s mouth twitched for a while. He was the Duke of An’s son, yet he was doing a trade of ten catties of rice. If he told others, he would surely be ridiculed.

“Take it,” the young man ordered without even looking up, leaving Hu Jinpeng with no choice but to accept.

The master’s insistence on taking money left him feeling puzzled. Although this young dandy had decent medical skills, he wondered why he didn’t accept the offer of 10 catties of grain or 1 catty of white rice instead. Perhaps, by refusing his offer, the young man was expecting even greater returns in the future.

After accepting the rice, Tang Yue became worried again. The absence of a pot meant that they couldn’t cook the rice and were unable to eat it raw.

Tang Yue decided to ask the young man directly this time, without having to use the surname Hu as a mouthpiece, “Do you happen to have any extra pots?”

The young man put down his book and replied, “It’s quite expensive.” His clear eyes caught Tang Yue’s attention and stirred his heart.

Considering his immobile legs, Tang Yue offered, “I could treat you.”

The young man’s eyes flickered before returning to their usual state. He nonchalantly stated, “There’s no cure.”

Although the four words were straightforward, there was a hint of disappointment in his tone. The young man must have encountered many doctors who were unable to treat his condition. It was understandable that he lacked faith in himself.

“How can I know if I don’t try?” In his past life, patients had to wait in line to see him as a doctor. Tang Yue felt disheartened that he was being underestimated.

Ignoring Tang Yue, the young man shook his head and instructed Hu Jinpeng to send a set of cooking utensils to Tang Xiaolang. He picked up his book and resumed reading.

Hu Jinpeng presented Tang Yue with a small pot and two porcelain bowls, staring at him for a long while with a complex expression. However, he didn’t say anything, merely heaving a sigh.

Tang Yue’s hairs stood on end as he muttered, “It’s alright if you decline treatment, but don’t come to regret it later.”