Chapter Twelve: Gu Li

"Zizi, hey brother-in-law, looks like you slept well last night! It’s almost midday and you’re only now willing to leave your lovely warm bed. With behavior like this, you really ought to think of Yunniang!" Meng Xuan’s cheeky voice rang out.

Lin Sanlang was speechless. Why hasn’t this guy left yet?

Ahem, ahem… Old Madam Lin, who was feeding the chickens, twitched her lips and coughed twice, unable to hold back. This child, why does he speak so bluntly, without a filter? Luckily, the eldest and second sons’ families have gone to the fields. If they heard this, how embarrassing it would be.

“Shame on you, Uncle! You lazed in bed like a pig,” little Cenhui piped up. Though he didn’t really understand what Meng Xuan had said, he did know he got up before Lin Sanlang.

Lin Sanlang’s face darkened even further at these words.

Seeing his blackened expression, Meng Xuan laughed shamelessly. “Hahaha, good boy, this afternoon your uncle will take you out to catch rabbits!” He ruffled little Lin Cenhui’s hair. Although Lin Cenhui was the second Lin son’s child, he was still family, wasn’t he? And besides, having bested a certain someone so early in the morning, Meng Xuan was in a fine mood.

Lin Sanlang said nothing.

After lunch, Lin Sanlang was called away by his cousin—apparently, the village chief had important matters to discuss. Hearing this, he set off immediately. At home, Madam Wu was clearing the dishes, Madam Li had gone inside to prepare tea for working in the fields that afternoon, Old Madam Lin went to fetch Old Master Lin’s chopsticks and bowl, and Meng Yun was in the house tending to Fubao.

“I want to go out! I want to go out!” little Fubao babbled energetically.

“Good girl, Fubao, soon Grandma will take you out to play, all right?” Meng Yun spoke soothingly as she changed Fubao’s diaper.

Fubao was exasperated. Mother, are you even listening? And my diaper is on backwards!

“It’s backwards, backwards!” Fubao protested in her baby talk.

“There, all done. You’re so happy when you hear you’re going out to play,” Meng Yun said as she looked at her lively daughter.

Fubao was indignant. Mother, where do I look happy? This is a protest!

In the end, little Fubao went out with her diaper on backwards.

Of course, little Fubao didn’t end up in her grandmother’s arms, but in Meng Xuan’s. Old Madam Lin had been called away by the village grannies to help out.

“Uncle, my diaper is on backwards,” Fubao babbled.

“Be good, Fubao, Uncle’s taking you to a great place,” Meng Xuan said, carrying her out the door, followed by three little ones.

Little Wolf and Cenhui headed out, gear in hand, ready to catch rabbits.

Doggie declared, “I’m going to protect my little sister. This guy is unreliable.”

Unreliable Meng Xuan.

Fubao: Huh...

The unreliable Meng Xuan led the four little ones up the mountain. Behind Lin Family Village was Little Bie Mountain, which connected to the larger Bie Mountain, so there was plenty of game—at least small animals. Big ones didn’t come here and hid deep in the forest. The largest animal anyone had seen was a wild boar.

Watching Little Wolf and Cenhui with their tiny bows and baskets, Meng Xuan’s forehead creased with black lines. “What on earth have you brought all this for?”

“Aren’t we catching rabbits? We brought little bows for catching them, and baskets to carry them in,” Little Wolf replied, giving Meng Xuan a puzzled look. Did he expect to catch them bare-handed?

Cenhui nodded in agreement. That’s right, that’s how Uncle and Grandpa do it.

“Ha! Who needs all this to catch rabbits? Watch me,” Meng Xuan said, tucking Fubao under one arm and picking up a stone with the other. He scanned the area, ears alert, then spun around and threw the stone in a flash. There was a squeak and the sound of something hitting the ground. Little Wolf and Cenhui glanced at each other, then ran over.

“Wow—a rabbit!” They pulled a rabbit out of the grass, its hind leg bleeding.

Fubao babbled excitedly at the sight of the rabbit.

Doggie’s eyes widened in awe. Amazing.

Seeing three pairs of sparkling eyes—Fubao was staring at the rabbit—looking at him with admiration, Meng Xuan felt a surge of pride.

“See? That’s how you catch a rabbit. Hahaha…” Meng Xuan laughed, full of self-satisfaction.

Doggie, Little Wolf, and Cenhui exchanged glances. “Heh.”

Fubao: Rabbit.

Meng Xuan carried Fubao around, surveying the area. In truth, he hadn’t come to the mountain just to take the children rabbit hunting; he was here to look for medicinal herbs. Of course, he knew the herb he needed wouldn’t be found here—today was just to familiarize himself with the terrain.

Meng Xuan had come at the behest of his father, Old Meng. Old Meng had an old friend and business partner, Gu Tianhao.

Gu Tianhao had two daughters and a son. The son, the youngest, sailed abroad on business four years ago, only to encounter a violent storm at sea. The merchant ship went down, and none of the servants accompanying him survived.

Old Master Gu was devastated, and Madam Gu was so stricken she fell ill and took to her bed.

Gu’s young wife, pregnant at the time, was so shocked by the news that she went into premature labor. She gave birth to her son, Li, then died soon after.

Poor Li was born frail, with a congenital heart condition. His body was weaker than other children his age, and he would sometimes suffer from heart attacks. It was a cruel blow for Old Master Gu. Though Li received love from his aunts and grandparents, it was never quite the same. He grew increasingly withdrawn and silent, which pained the Gu family deeply.