CH 88.1

Day by day passed quickly, and it was almost the twelfth lunar month.

On the fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, Lu Gu soaked the beans the night before. Today was the Five Beans Festival, and the family would eat five beans porridge, red beans, soybeans, chai beans, black beans, mung beans, five kinds of beans plus yellow rice and peanuts to make porridge.

It was said that the twelfth lunar month was a good time to appreciate the snow, but this kind of leisure was mostly only available for the wealthy families. For farmers, the most important thing was to have a full stomach first.

Early in the morning, when the sky was bright, Lu Gu boiled water in the kitchen. After the water boiled, Shen Xuanqing and Shen Yaoqing scooped up the water to wash up, and he put the pancakes on the bamboo steamer.

Shen Xuanqing had nothing to do, the weather was cold and even his exhaled breath was white, so he practiced boxing in the yard.

This was what Lao Yangtou taught him before, and he also taught him a set of sword skills. They all said that poor people were rich in martial arts. Whether it was boxing or practicing swordsmanship. When they started to practice, they were hungry and ate much faster. Even rice and flour couldn’t satisfy their appetite, and they felt full only after eating meat.

Lu Gu heard the movement outside and looked out through the crack of the window, and he saw Shen Xuanqing who was punching and practicing martial arts. He was surprised but felt that this should be the case. He had seen Shen Xuanqing’s archery and hunting before. At that time, he felt that he was different from ordinary men, and he really knew martial arts.

Withdrew the strength and returned the hand, and the practice of boxing was over.

Shen Xuanqing looked up and saw Lu Gu who was standing at the door of the kitchen. A smile immediately appeared on his expressionless face. After thinking for a while, he said, "Practice boxing to keep fit. How about I teach you a little moves, it’s warm even if you wake up early."

Lu Gu didn't expect that Shen Xuanqing was going to teach him boxing just because he watched him practice for a while. He was dazed, and Shen Xuanqing who had nothing to do, dragged him into the yard to teach him.

"Wrong, this is how you make a fist." Shen Xuanqing smiled while holding his smaller hand.

Lu Gu's punches were limp, and his feet were not stable, obviously not suitable for martial arts, and he passed the best age, but if he really practiced, his body might be better.

"Why do you teach Guzi this?" Wei Lanxiang saw them practiced boxing in the yard as soon as she came out of the room, she didn't agree with it in her heart, how could a good shuang’er practice boxing like a rough guy.

As soon as Shen Xuanqing heard it, he said: "Mother, you can  strengthen your body with boxing. You can move your body to warm up, so why you can’t practice boxing? This is not a bad thing."

Wei Lanxiang still felt that it was inappropriate, so she glanced at her son and said: "When you talk a lot, everything you say is justified."

Lu Gu had no idea, she knew it must be Shen Xuanqing's instigation. Reading and writing were just a matter of course, it was a quiet and serious matter, but no one would teach their fulangs how to punch and use a knife. This was something only wild boys did. If the villagers saw it, they would laugh behind their backs.

Shen Xuanqing didn't say a word, living together was like this, when he thought differently about somethings, so he would inevitably get scolded a few times.

Seeing that Lu Gu was anxious, he looked at Wei Lanxiang helplessly, and said, "Mother, I didn't ask him to go out and compete with others, and I teach him a few punches and kicks just to let him move his hands and feet in the yard. This boxing method is warmer than stomping his feet around. "

Usually, Shen Xuanqing would bow his head and keep silent when she scolded him, but he would still do what should be done, and she couldn't control it.

Today, it was rare to give her some explanations softly, so Wei Lanxiang took another look at him, and said: "Well, don't go out to practice, just stay at home, it's not good for people to see."

Lu Gu was pressed down by Shen Xuanqing and took a horse stance, so he couldn’t escape, he said in low voice: "Mother, the pancakes in the pot should be hot, and the water is also hot."

"Okay, you do your work first." Wei Lanxiang said, and went into the kitchen to scoop up water to wash up.

After she entered the kitchen, Shen Xuanqing whispered in Lu Gu's ear: "It's okay, mother didn’t scold you, it was me, don't be afraid, just practice your skills."

The warm breaths swept over the ear, and Shen Xuanqing's voice was lowered, which was different from usual, it was lower and deeper, which made Lu Gu lower his eyes in a hurry, and let out a "huh" with red ears.

His ears were obviously red, Shen Xuanqing didn't care at first when he saw this, but when he saw that there was no one else in the yard, he pinched Lu Gu's earlobes with his hands, they were soft, and the ears became even redder when he touched them, he couldn't help but smile.     

In broad daylight, still in the house, Lu Gu was very embarrassed when he pinched his ears like this. When he heard Shen Yan's voice, he panicked and got up to push Shen Xuanqing's troubled hands away, he blushed and felt shy, he said: "You... I'm going to wash the beans."     

Shen Xuanqing stared behind him with a smile in his eyes, with his hands behind his back, and his face was quite serious, but he rubbed his fingertips lightly, as if he was still yearning for the touch of the earlobe.